Life, 1922-05-25 · page 3 of 34
Life — May 25, 1922 — page 3: what you’re looking at
What you’re looking at
This is a humorous poem about New York nightlife, accompanied by a satirical illustration. The poem references specific Manhattan locations—the Savoy (hotel), the Ritz (hotel), and the Commodore—and mentions astronomical bodies (Sirius, the Dipper, Cassiopeia, Gemini, Pollux, Castor) in a playful conceit about nighttime revelry. The illustration shows a well-dressed man dancing wildly with small figures (possibly demons or imps), suggesting raucous, uninhibited behavior. The caption—"Little Girl: He won't hurt it, mister—his teeth are too little"—implies the man is dangerously drunk or manic, though harmless due to his inebriation. The satire mocks wealthy New Yorkers' excessive nightclub culture and the chaos of late-night Manhattan entertainment.
📄 Transcribed text from this page (OCR, searchable)
Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.
New Yorkers’ Nocturne No, radiant doth the moon deploy Above the roof of the Savoy ; While queenly Cassiopeia sits Over the garden of the Ritz. The Gemini—you know them, Castor And Pollux—shine upon the Astor. The milky way doth whitely pour And softly, on the Commodore. Up in the heavens good old Sirius Keeps dog-watch on the dance delirious. The Dipper, ere the morn, has spilt Its contents on the Vanderbilt. And when dawn breaks it may have spilt more Upon the cotter in the Biltmore. Little Girl: He won't hurt it, mister—his teeth are too little. comicbooks.com