Life, 1922-05-11 · page 12 of 38
Life — May 11, 1922 — page 12: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
The top cartoon depicts a group of children in a vacant lot with a "For Sale" sign. One child declares, "Say! My father owns these lots, so I'm goin' to be pitcher, see?"—meaning he'll be the pitcher in their baseball game because his father owns the property. The satire mocks childhood privilege and entitlement: the child assumes he deserves a superior position simply due to his father's wealth/ownership, rather than earning it through skill. This reflects early 20th-century social commentary on class privilege determining opportunity. Below is a poem titled "Song for Anthologies" by A.G., satirizing anthology compilers who profit from collecting existing poems without substantial compensation to original poets—a commentary on publishing economics and artistic exploitation of the era.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
“Say! My father owns these lots, so I’m goin’ to be pitcher, see?” Song for Anthologies (With the Compliments of the Season to W. S. Gilbert) S the burglar still continues enterprising, Enterprising, He has given up the grosser forms of crime, Forms of crime; And is now anthologizing, ‘thologizing, ’Thologizing, Making free with other people’s bits of rhyme, Bits of rhyme. So he preys upon the products of the gifted, Of the gifted, Whom he doesn’t often have to reimburse, Reimburse. With the cream of many volumes gently’ lifted, Gently lifted, He compiles a Wee Anthology of Verse. When he wants to put a petiny in his purse, In his purse, He compiles a Wee Anthology of Verse. When you chance to need some easy pocket money, Pocket money, You will thank me for this inexpensive hint, "spensive hint, For anthologizers,—which is mighty funny, Mighty funny,— Are not often asked to pay for what they print, What they print. For the poet thinks it helps his reputation, Reputation, (And the poet really ought to have a nurse, Have a nurse). So for little work and ample compensation, Compensation, . Just compile your Wee Anthology of Verse. When you want to put a penny in your purse, In your purse, Just compile your Wee Anthology of Verse. comicbooks.com