COMEDY

I.

Once in a theatre comic

’Tween acts I pondered to see

On a column sculptured, wide and comic,

The grinning mask of Comedy;

And broad and wild in satyr-glee,

The grinning face of Comedy.

II.

«Ah,» said I, «face merry and comic,

There is happiness in thee,

Few faces like thine, wide-mouth'd and comic,

Oh, grinning face of Comedy;

Boisterously wrinkled, ugly and free,

The grinning mask of Comedy.»

III.

But as I gazed at the face that smiled,

With mine eyes half-dreamfully,

«Ah,» said I, «it is forced and wild,

Untrue smile of pitiless glee;

Forcedly wrinkled, unreal, unfree,

Hard-grinning mask of Comedy.»

IV.

And I trembled — now it no longer smiled,

It had forcedly smiled — now not even so.

Oh, fearful face, terribly wild,

Terribly silent face or woe;

Worn, hysterical, mad, unfree,

Woe-twisted face of Comedy.