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Cornelius Eady: Charlie Chaplin Impersonates a Poet

The stage is set for imminent disaster.

Here is the little tramp, standing

On a stack of books in order

To reach the microphone, the

Poet he’s impersonating somehow

Trussed and mumbling in a

Tweed bundle at his feet.



He opens his mouth: Tra-la!

Out comes doves, incandescent bulbs,

Plastic roses. Well, that’s that,

Squirms the young professor who’s

Coordinated this,

No more visiting poets!



His department head groans

For the trap door. As it

Swings away



The tramp keeps on as if

Nothing has occurred,

A free arm mimicking

A wing.

-----

Copyright © 1997 by Cornelius Eady. Used by permission of the author.

Source: The Autobiography of a Jukebox (Carnegie Mellon University Press, 1997)
Cornelius Eady (photo: Sampsonia Way)

One comment on “Cornelius Eady: Charlie Chaplin Impersonates a Poet

  1. Tricia Knoll
    June 11, 2019

    Oh, I love this. I smiled!

    Liked by 1 person

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