Life — October 24, 1912 — page 12: what you’re looking at

What you’re looking at

# "Ode to the Big Bull Moose" - Political Satire This is a poem by Arthur Guiterman satirizing Theodore Roosevelt's "Bull Moose" Progressive Party campaign. The verse mocks Roosevelt as a defiant political outsider who refuses party conventions and challenges establishment figures (references to Penrose, Archfield, Hillis, and Barnes—likely Republican leaders). The satire ridicules Roosevelt's combative nature, comparing him to various animals (camel, deer, locomotive, hot potato). It attacks his supporters—writers, artists, and socialists—for uncritically backing him as a novelty "sensation." The poem suggests Roosevelt's candidacy is ultimately futile ("Meteor already waxing pale"), destined to fade despite initial excitement. The tone is dismissive, portraying the Bull Moose movement as chaotic disruption rather than serious politics.