'A Comedy of Errors' in Seven Acts by Spokeshave (poetry books to read .TXT) π
_Quezox:_ But, noble Francos, we now wend our wayTo meet the vermin which do suck our blood,And they with tongues which serpent-like can charmMay fool thee with their tales of dire intent.
_Francos: (striking his breast):_
Fear not, they soon shall feel how vain it were
To seek to trick one who, in halls of state,
Hath met the wiles of shrewd, self-seeking men,
But to ward off attack with virtue's shield.
_Captain and Seldonskip approach._
_Captain:_ Most noble potentate, as I my rounds
Of observation make, it pleasures me
Most mightily, to make obeisance to
The one so honored by his native land.
As captain of a vessel may be judged
By those subordinate to his command,
So do I quick conception of thee form.
By the broad mental gifts of Seldonskip
Who were the hose, through which thy mind doth squirt Most sapient thought, for mankind's betterment.
_Seldonskip:_ You bet his
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To be 'gainst our designs; hence it were well
That we should much accomplish while we may.
These may prevent what they can ne'er undo.
2d Gentleman:
Si, si, SeΓ±or; haste be the magic word,
To thrust the vermin out must be our aim.
3d Gentleman:
Well said. If we delay, "MaΓ±ana," fickle dame,
May scorn our smiles and flirt with these, our foes.
Scene 4: Governor's Room.
Francos: Good Quezox, it doth seem the more I grant,
The more dost thou demand. I at thy word
Did to a list'ning throng declare that thou
With mighty hand, did boost me to this place.
'Twas done to firm impress on public mind
Thy worth in fields politic, and by this
To expedite our plans which will in time
An era new inaugurate; but thou,
Like "Twist" of old, cry'st "More!" and ever "More!"
Quezox: But Sire, the time is short. Soon I must hie
Me to the halls of state, and I would fain
Depart with mind at ease on matters here,
For there be few who safely may advise.
(Exit Quezox. Enters Carpen)
Francos: Ha! Carpen, is it so; these varlets who
Do thoughts imprint, have o'er my head direct
Appealed to those who may dire action take,
And thus belittlement on me bestow?
Carpen: My Liege, 'tis so. From words which from thy mouth
Did flow, discouragement arose, and so,
To guard their welfare, they did quickly act
And to their order did make strong appeal.
Francos: Carpen disloyalty to those in pow'r
Shall meet its proper penalty, and they
Who voiced it must forthwith before me come
And explanation make, which doth ring clear.
Carpen: I'll quick despatch a message to their chief,
That he at once before thee shall appear.
Francos (walks the room, soliloquizing):
Fortune is often kind, and to our hand
A weapon ready forged and sharpened fits.
A strong presentment lurketh in my mind
That she hath now perchance befriended me.
But Carpen, is this chief most proper named?
Its sound implies that blood's his proper food,
And that he sucks it from this people's veins.
Carpen: I think your voiced suspicions are unjust.
He seemeth to me but a proper man
Possessing skill anent his chosen craft.
So it was published when he here was sent.
Francos: Ah, well I know the arts political
Our foes did practice when they filled a nest
Fit for an eagle with a vulture mean
And covered their deceit by mouthing words.
Carpen: But Sire, I bear no brief in his behalf.
To me this matter little import bears.
Francos: Good Carpen, from thy tone I fear me much
Thou implication on thy part inferred.
I pray thee, disabuse thine erring mind
Of such suspicion, for it hath no ground.
(Enter Quezox)
Quezox: Most noble Sire, mine ears have heard a tale
Which, if from fountain of eternal truth,
Doth cheer me mightily. It in good sooth
Reveals the treachery which thee surrounds.
Francos: Remain, good Quezox, I would witness have
Who shall upon the scroll of memory
Inscribe each word which shall be uttered here
When the expected one shall soon appear.
Quezox: Sire, thy request, or rather thy command
Is head but to obey. (A side) Methinks I see
A smiling picture which doth clear portray
Heads falling, as the bolo sure doth swing
(Aloud)
Sire, loyalty should ever be the test
Of those who feed from out the public trough.
(Exit Francos)
(All join hands and sing as they dance the Tammany slide.)
"Loyalty, Loyalty, Loyalty to what?
Why Loyalty to him who ladles out the swill.
Loyalty, Loyalty, Loyalty or not?
If not, go home to Dad and the fatted calf he'll kill."
ACT VII Dramatis PersonaeCaesar . . . . . . . Ruler of the State.
Francos . . . . . . Governor General of a Province.
Printus . . . . . . Head of a Bureau.
Quezox . . . . . . Resident Delegate from the Province.
Somnolent . . . . Head of a Bureau.
McDuff . . . . . . A Publican.
Scene I. Caesar's Room at the Capitol.
Caesar soliloquizing:
Life is a problem intricate to solve:
With outstretched arms to grasp, we know not what
From out the future hidden by a veil
With woof too dense for eye of man to pierce;
Yet doth imagination pictures forms
Which, when we would embrace, evade our touch
And vanish into nothingness; while still
We vain pursuit ever persistent make.
Euclid from chaos order did evolve
And on the scroll of Fame hath writ those laws
Which Time, relentless, ne'er can thence efface.
For Truth, immutable, is there entombed.
But he, in flawless mental armor robed,
Did crusade make where Science hath her home,
And from her vaults where Truth was close entombed
He raped their locks and brought the treasure forth.
Long mankind groped in darkness, nor did dream
That laws harmonious could measure space
And count the cycles that should hail return
Of each recurring comet on its round.
Thus deep uncertainty enrobeth man:
He comes like morning bringing with him light;
He goes like evening, ent'ring portals dark
Where none can track him to his final doom
And know that Immortality's kind arms
Shall hug him to her breast and bear him on
To Fields whose verdure wears a brighter hue,
Or whether Entity shall on the wings
Of fickle Fate be borne to final rest,
Who shall the mystery of being solve?
We see the birdling break from prison shell
And dream that we have found the source of life.
Vain thought! the egg were but a cunning mask
Which Nature wears to hide her handiwork.
The spark electric issues from its cell
Clothed with a pow'r the jealous gods might crave;
But when or how it entity conceived,
Is hid within creation's caverns deep.
Now, in the realm of pow'r politic, reigns
The God of Chaos anchor'd to his throne,
And it remains for one of giant mind,
Well disciplined in all scholastic lore,
To break the chains which hold that anchor fast,
And crush the Pow'r disordered seated there.
Am I the instrument designed by Fate
To, Euclid-like, from this anarchic whole
Evolve the laws which shall Disorder deep
Within the grave entomb and on that throne
The God of Order seat, and in his hand
Imperial scepter place, to rule the world
Politic, as it on its axis rolls,
Unharmed by venomed darts of turpitude?
I dreamed of formulating certain laws
Which economic matters would control.
The midnight lamp, companion of my toil,
Has burned in vain. Alas, I see it now.
When the great "Commoner," of wisdom full,
A plank within our platform did insert
That our good ships which coastwise trade would ply
Should float as free as sea-gull on the wing
Through that deep channel, by our cunning wrought,
Which links Pacific's waters to the Gulf,
I, fool-like, did him earnestly applaud!
Again my soul in bitterness doth surge
Because from distant Isles the lightning brings
Dire words of sour complaint from either clan,
Which like to gladiators in the ring
Seem but prepared to battle to the death.
I listened to the frail but honeyed words
Of one who held a judgeship in that clime,
Only to find disgruntlement their source;
And now it shames me, who have been cock-sure,
That I should failure see emblazoned there.
How could I prudence thus have cast aside
And now my stomach fill with humble pie?
Alas! my dreams that fed on self-esteem
Are vanished as the dew before the sun.
(With energy)
Another plank I'll wrench with giant hand.
And wreck the platform, "if I bust a gut."
(Exit to drink an orangeade to quiet his nerves.)
Scene II: The Governor's room.
Quezox: My Liege this Printus stands without the door,
And seeks admission that he may explain
His conduct. Shall I, bid him enter here?
Francos: In sooth, good Quezox, doth my spirit yearn
To quick despatch my business with this man.
(Quezox retires and fetches Printus)
Quezox: Most noble Sire, this gentleman attends?
Francos: Sir, from thy mouth I explanation ask
As to the import of a message sent
To high officials of some labor bund
Voicing complaint anent my conduct here.
Printus: In truth, I little know of this affair.
These men a grievance feel, for they did come
At my behest on weighty promise made
To fill positions which experts alone
Are proper occupants; and now they fear
Their stipends may be cut with pruner's knife,
Which to them each important loss portends
And dire discomfort work on those they love.
Francos: Hold, Printus, hold! Thy words were idle chaff.
Dost thou deny the allegation made
That to the message thy consent wast had?
Printus: I no participation in it took!
Francos: (severely:)
Thy words do seem to have a double ring.
But hie thee hence, while I investigate.
The Democratic creed doth only know
Complete submission on the henchman's part
To him who momentary at the helm
Doth guide the ship of state through calm and storm.
To think in words, disloyalty proclaims;
But act subservient fealty do prove.
(Exit Printus)
Quezox: Most noble Sire, thy courage I admire
But Somnolent doth wait without the door.
Francos: Ha! He doth quickly to my call respond,
But bid him enter. I will quick despatch
The matter which thy urgent hopes demand.
(Enter Quezox and Somnolent)
Quezox: Sire, here is he who holds our wide domain
Within the hollow of his cunning hand.
Francos: Sweet sire, an era new we usher in,
And knowing well that thou dost entertain
Oposing views upon a vital point,
Twere best for thee to cast the mantle off.
Somnolent: In sooth, good sir, I find our minds as one.
If Quezox's methods shall perchance obtain,
'Twere better that some henchman of his choice
Should do untieing of his fiscal knots.
(Exit Somnolent)
Quezox: Sire, in the anteroom doth stand McDuff,
With bearing like a criminal of state,
Sustained by stubborn pride as he doth walk
With measured, kingly step unto the block.
Francos: Go bid him enter, and on thy return,
Take precedence; twere well to demonstrate
The high esteem which Caesar for thee feels
And give his party pride a parting dig.
(Enter Quezox and McDuff)
Quezox: My Liege, McDuff, who fills a council seat
Within the party which has long controlled
Affairs politic in these tropic Isles,
Would fain resign the office he now holds.
Francos, consolingly: Events march on, and as the whirligig
Of time revolves, so 'tis with politics.
To-day one soars aloft on Vict'ry's wings;
Tomorrow Fate those pinions proud may clip.
'Tis here Philosophy a cooling draught
Kindly present to him who, from his seat,
Is thrust by Fortune's hand, which killeth not,
But only girds our loins for battles new.
McDuff: Sir Governor, thy words with wisdom teem.
I threw the gauge of battle in the ring,
And for each thrust the enemy did give
I parried, and with vigor did return
Each lunge in kind, and now my
Medicine I gulp and whimper not.
But look ye, sir! the wheel that now hath turned
May grind us all between its cruel cogs.
(Exit McDuff)
Quezox to Francos, exultingly:
A mighty day! a glorious day is here!
But, Sire, the cleansing work is but begun.
A joyful paean swells within my breast,
And I must mouth it, else this heart will burst!
(Sings)
We'll smite the grafters; smite them hip and thigh;
Our motto shall be ever, "Do or die."
We've got 'em on the run,
And with every rising sun,
We'll oil the new machine;
Its blade we'll sharpen keen.
Revenge shall fill the goblet to the brim,
And "Pleasure saturnine" shall be our hymn.
Francos, applauding:
'Twere well, sweet Quezox! Thou in happy tone
Hast voiced a noble sentiment in rhyme.
But lurking in my mem'ry it doth seem
That I recall in part those words so apt.
(Francos and Quezox embrace and retire.)
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