Song Cycle by Archie James Potter (1918-)

?. On Torture: a public singer

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "On Torture: a public singer", from Verses and Sonnets, published 1896

Torture will give a dozen pence or more
To keep a drab from bawling at his door.
The public taste is quite a different thing --
Torture is positively paid to sing.

?. On Fatigue

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "Fatigue", from Sonnets and Verse (1923), published 1923

I'm tired of Love: I'm still more tired of Rhyme.
But Money gives me pleasure all the time.

?. On a General Election

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "On a General Election", from Sonnets and Verse (1923), published 1923

The accursed power which stands on Privilege 
(And goes with Women, and Champagne and Bridge) 
Broke and Democracy resumed her reign:
(Which goes with Bridge, and Women and Champagne)

?. On a Puritan

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "On a Puritan", from Sonnets and Verse (1923), published 1938

He served his God so faithfully and well
That now he sees him face to face, in hell.

?. On his books

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "On his books", from Sonnets and Verse (1923), published 1923

When I am dead, I hope it may be said: 
"His sins were scarlet, but his books were read."

?. On Lady Poltagrue

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "On Lady Poltagrue, a Public Peril", from Sonnets and Verse (1923), published 1923

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The Devil, having nothing else to do, 
Went off to tempt My Lady Poltagrue. 
My Lady, tempted by a private whim, 
To his extreme annoyance, tempted him.

?. On mundane acquaintances

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "On Mundane Acquaintances", from Sonnets and Verse (1923), published 1923

Good morning, Algernon: Good morning, Percy.
Good morning, Mrs. Roebeck. Christ have mercy!

?. On Noman: a Guest

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "On Noman: a Guest", from Sonnets and Verse (1923), published 1923

Dear Mr Noman, does it ever strike you,
The more we see of you, the less we like you?

?. On vital statistics

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "On vital statistics", from Sonnets and Verse (1938), published 1938

Ill fares the land to hast'ning ills a prey (1)
Where wealth accumulates and men decay.'
But how much more unfortunate are those
Where wealth declines and population grows!
(1) This line is execrable; and I note it.
I quote it as the faulty poet wrote it.

?. On the Death of a Politician

Authorship

by (Joseph) Hilaire Belloc (1870-1953) , "Epitaph on the Politician Himself"

Here richly, with ridiculous display, 
The Politician's corpse was laid away. 
While all of his acquaintance sneered and slanged 
I wept : for I had longed to see him hanged.

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