Oliver Herford

“ All misspellings in the text, and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained.
If this little world to-night
Suddenly should fall thro’ space
In a hissing, headlong flight,
Shrivelling from off its face,
As it falls into the sun,
In an instant every trace
Of the little crawling things—
Ants, philosophers, and lice,
Cattle, cockroaches, and kings,
Beggars, millionaires, and mice,
Men and maggots all as one
As it falls into the sun—
Who can say but at the same
Instant from some planet far
A child may watch us and exclaim:
“See the pretty shooting star!” ”

“ Of people of every kind and class—
Matrons, men, and misses,
Ladies and gentlemen, old and new,
Lads and lasses, and children too,
Elderly men with elderly wives—
Hustling and bustling for their lives. ”

“ To hunt for a wild Negation.
They agreed to meet at a cool retreat
On the Point of Interrogation. ”