THE RUBAIYAT OF
OMAR CAYENNE
BY
GELETT BURGESS
NEW YORK
FREDERICK A STOKES COMPANY
Publishers
Copyright, 1904,
BY
Gelett Burgess
Published December, 1904
THE RUBAIYAT
OF
OMAR CAYENNE
I
Wake! For the Hack can scatter into flight
Shakespere and Dante in a single Night!
The Penny-a-liner is Abroad, and strikes
Our Modern Literature with blithering Blight.
II
Before Historical Romances died,
Methought a Voice from Art's Olympus cried,
"When all Dumas and Scott is still for Sale,
Why nod o'er drowsy Tales, by Tyros tried?"
III
A cock-sure Crew with Names ne'er heard before
Greedily shouted—"Open then the Door!
You know how little Stuff is going to live,
But where it came from there is plenty More."
IV
Now the New Year reviving old Desires,
The Artist poor to Calendars aspires,
But of the Stuff the Publisher puts out
Most in the Paper Basket soon suspires.
V
Harum indeed is gone, and Lady Rose,
And Janice Meredith, where no one knows;
But still the Author gushes overtime,
And many a Poet babbles on in Prose.
VI
Aldrich's lips are lock'd; but people buy
High-piping Authoresses, boomed sky-high.
"How Fine!"—the Publisher cries to the Mob,
That monumental Cheek to justify.
VII
Come, fill the Purse, to Publishers, this Spring,
Your Manuscripts of paltry Passion bring:
The New York Times has oft a little Way
Of praising—let The Times your praises sing.
VIII
Whether by Century or Doubleday,
Whether Macmillan or the Harpers pay,
The Publisher prints new books every Year;
The Critics will keep Busy, anyway!
IX
Each Morn a thousand Volumes brings, you say;
Yes, but who reads the Books of Yesterday?
And this first Autumn List that brings the New
Shall take The Pit and Mrs. Wiggs away.
X
Well, let it take them! What, are we not through
With Richard Calmady and Emmy Lou?
Let Ade and Dooley guy us as they will,
Or Ella Wheeler Wilcox—heed not you.