Select Poetry.

Otago Witness, Issue 879, 3 October 1868, Page 14

Select Poetry.

"PAPA, WHAT IS A NEWSPAPER, AND WHAT DOES IT CONTAIN?" Organs that gentlemen play, my boy, To answer the taste of the day, my boy ; Whatever it be, They hit on the key, And pipe in full concert away, my boy. News from all countries and climes, my boy f Advertisements, essays, and rhymes, my Mixed up with all sorts Fbov. Off (lying) reports, And published at regular times, my boy. Articles, able and wise, my boy, At least in the editor's eyes, my boy, And logic so grand That few understand To what in the world it applies, my boy. Statistics, reflections, reviews, my boy, Little scraps to instruct and amuse, my boj% And lengthy debate On matters of State, For wise-headed f olkß to peruse, my boy. The funds as they were, and they are, my boy, The quibbles and quirks of the bar, my boy, And every week A clever critique On some rising theatrical star, my boy. The age of Jupiter's moons, my boy, .me stealing of somebody's spoons, mv boy, The state of the crops, The style of the fops, And the wit of the public buffoons, my boy. Lists of all physical ills, my boy, Banished by somebody's pills, my boy, Till you ask with surprise Why anyone dies, Or what's the disorder that kills, my boy. Who has got married to whom, my boy, Who were cut off in their bloom, my boy, Who has a birth On this aorrow-stained earthy And who totters fast to the tomb, my boy* The prices of cattle and grain, my boy, Directions to dig and to drain, my boy, But 'twould take me too long To tell you in song A quarter of what they contain, my boy.