Life, 1916-08-24 · page 7 of 42
Life — August 24, 1916 — page 7: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This page features a poem and illustration titled "The Dragon," credited to Earl Simonson. The poem invokes medieval imagery—"Trumpets of steel, ye knights of Normandy!"—calling upon Christian warriors to battle a demonic creature ("the Thing the Devil made"). The accompanying illustration shows "THE LINE OF DESCENT," depicting a woman cowering before an aggressive man in what appears to be a domestic interior. The satire appears to equate male domestic violence or aggression with the mythological dragon—reframing household tyranny as a modern "beast" requiring confrontation. The juxtaposition mocks chivalric ideals by suggesting that true knightly virtue should address contemporary social problems (likely domestic abuse or male dominance) rather than historical crusades.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
The Dragon RUMPETS of steel, ye knights of Normandy! He comes, he comes, the Thing the Devil made, Ye ringing men of Crécy and Poitiers, To take you for his shambles and his forge; The world is hanging on your swords to-day. The self-damned Creed that, knowing light, essayed The very font and throne of Chivalry To grip the sun and blacken it. His gorge The Beast hath gained; no man, nor men, but he Yawns smoking. Then, by Our Lady of the The Prussian Juggernaut, contrived to slay Blade, The little smiles of women, the sweet play Strike ye for God, St. Michael and St. George! Of free-born babes, comes blind in his agony. Earl Simonson. Anuuy frac nen apy et! THE LINE OF DESCENT comicbooks.com