Life, 1920-04-22 · page 13 of 44
Life — April 22, 1920 — page 13: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a poem by Verne Bright accompanying an illustration showing a street peddler at a doorway. The poem celebrates a traveling merchant who passes by, describing his wares and the sensory richness of his goods—spring skies, primrose dawns, oak and fern, peace and joy. The final stanza reveals the satirical point: the speaker bought pain, mirth, songs, and dreams from this peddler, "But most I bought of love!" The illustration depicts a woman at her door encountering the peddler, suggesting domestic life's intersection with commerce and romance. The satire appears gentle—mocking sentimental notions that love and happiness can be "purchased" like ordinary goods, while celebrating the peddler as a purveyor of life's intangibles rather than mere merchandise.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
Che Peddler IFE, a peddler, passed my gate, And he had store of goods to sell— Skies full of spring . . and glad, elate, + A song-bird’s madrigal. And he had echoes of dim wars, Night beauty, and the flush Of primrose dawns, . and flicker- ing stars, And springs that do out-gush And he had dew in a leafy cup, And loves and laughters manifold. And little flowerets looking up, And wistful dreams untold. And he had dusk of oak and fern, And peach blooms wet with rain, . And much he had of peace and joy, And much he had of pain. I bought of pain a scanty store, Of mirth a treasure trove, Of songs and dreams mayhap a score— tx But most I bought of love! Verne Bright. } i f je, weal ~~ - ra ne ps We comicbooks.com