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Home  »  Poetica Erotica  »  The Jest

T. R. Smith, comp. Poetica Erotica: Rare and Curious Amatory Verse. 1921–22.

The Jest

By Robert J. Shores (1881–1934)
 
“NOW tell me a jest,” said the snow-haired King,
“Thy wits are a-gathering wool!”
And he bent the fire of his eye in ire
On the face of the motley Fool.
“Nay!” cried the Fool as he bent his knee,        5
“Never may I smile more,
I have stolen the love of thy lovely Queen!”
And he grovelled on the floor;
“Ho!” cried the King in gladsome glee,
“Ho! Ho! What a King of a Fool!” quoth he.        10
 
’Mid the gorgeous court sat the snow-haired King
And he boasted of his Fool;
He swore the jest was quite the best
He’d heard in all his rule.
“Ha!” cried the King as he slapped his knee,        15
“Never have I laughed more—
He has stolen my lovely Queen, has he?”
Meanwhile in the Queen’s boudoir—
“Ho!” laughed the Fool in gladsome glee,
“Ho! Ho! What a Fool of a King!” quoth he.        20