'Rag-Time' (Rhymes for the Times)

Harry Graham

1916

At dawn, beneath my casement,
Scrubbing the area stairs,
The boot-boy in the basement
Is whistling rag-time airs.
At breakfast, while I'm eating,
A German band outside
With unction keeps repeating
The latest 'Wedding Glide. '
Where'er I go, whate'er I do,
I can't escape from 'Hitchykoo'!

Pursued, as by a pixy,
By each infectious air,
I 'Want to be in Dixie'
When ev'rybody's there!
Though 'Honolulu-looing'
I've done my best to shun,
What 'Ev'rybody's Doing'
I cannot leave undone!
The subtle spell I can't withstand
Of 'Alexander's Rag-Time Band'!

Like ancient hosts of Midian,
I kneel, enslaved and tame,
Before a modern Gideon,
And Melville is his name!
He grips me without pity,
He binds me with a thong
Of contrapuntal ditty,
Of syncopated song!
And in his sweet, seductive strains
I hear the rattle of my chains!

So, when you next behold me
Perform a Turkey-trot,
In fashion which (they've told me)
Makes chaperones feel hot;
Or with a strict adherence
To rules of Bunny-hug,
Combine the ape's appearance
With manners of the Thug,
I beg you won't find fault with me,
But lay the blame on Melville G.!

End of title

Links

External resources

bookshop

Wikipedia

Project Gutenberg

Goodreads

Google Books