Life, 1906-01-18 · page 9 of 28
Life — January 18, 1906 — page 9: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This satirical poem by Charles Hanson Towne mocks prolific early 20th-century writers through caricature. The illustration shows winged figures of various authors at their desks, depicted as frantically productive. The poem ridicules specific named writers—Clinton Scollard, Miss Wells, Wallace Irwin, John Kendrick Bangs, and Theodosia Garrison—for churning out excessive verse and stories at unsustainable rates. The satire suggests these poets produce quantity over quality, with references to their work appearing everywhere ("Where would the magazines be?"). The imagery of angel wings combined with industrious desk work humorously frames contemporary literary output as both heavenly and relentless factory production. The overall joke: these writers are so prolific they're practically superhuman—and possibly ridiculous for it.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
A Song of Modern Poets. At rhyming they must fiends b Suppose some day they should collapse ? Where would the magazines be ? ‘There's Clinton Scollard! My, oh, my, The work that fellow turns out! If he keeps on, why, by-and-bye He'll write Shakespeare and Burns out! _ Z And dear Miss Wells! I hardly know fg Z A writer more prolific; ‘Those clever rhymes from her pen flow At speed that is terrific ! And Wallace Irwin! Every day He dashes off a stanza; ** How simple ‘tis! [hear him say ; “I's really a bonanza!" John Kendrick Bangs grinds out a bit; But Theodosia Garrison !— My word! I'm staggered for a fit IMlustrative comparison ! 1 wonder when she finds the time To dine, or join gay dancers? Perhaps she dashes off a rhyme While stepping through the lancers ! Charles Hanson Towne. IESE modern bards are hustling chaps, comicbooks.com