Quaint and Curious - Parodies and Pastiches of Poe's The Raven

Nothing More

1870
The Weekly Arizona Miner Jan 22 1870

The ass stood by the stable door—
The sweepings of the stable floor—
Some scantled, musty, broken straw—
He munched, and munched, and — nothing more.
Yon politician struts the floor,
His speech is gemmed with pot-house lore,
His goose essays the eagle’s soar;
Words, only words, and — nothing more.
The preacher, dear, good, pious bore,
Proves all the prophets once foresaw,
Knows what the future has in store,
Knows what he — thinks, and — nothing more.
The lawyer quotes you score on score
Of great authorities in law
To prove your case without a flaw;
He gains his — fee, and — nothing more.
The doctor knows you to the core,
Apt with each fibre, nerve and pore;
Can catch you from Death’s greedy maw,
He “bleeds” you well, and — nothing more.
The ass still stands beside the door,
And still is munching as before,
Gown, book, and pill, are broken straw;
He’s the same ass, and — nothing more.

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