POEM BY LIONEL TERRY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIV, Issue 13574, 4 December 1907, Page 8

POEM BY LIONEL TERRY.

EMOTIONAL INSANITY. The following is original versification by Lionel Terry, and will be of peculiar interest at the present time (says tho North Otago Times). It was written for publication. Mental experts declare that Hacry Thaw was suffering from emotional insanity when he shot Stanford White, his wife's betrayer. — Now York news item. I. Oh, what a wondrous body is the mcdi- - cal profession ! 'Tis- difficult indeed to give our feelings due expression. There's nought so dark that mortal men may. do, or think, or say, That the doctors cannot diagnose and make as plain as day. For instance: If a burglar breaks into your house at night, And collars all your silver plate and gives your wife a fright, And you shoot him in the interests of justice and humanity, Why, you prove yourself a victim of emotional insanity. 11. And if crowds of Russian Jews and Chows invade your peaceful land, And spread a few diseases of an extra special brand; And if they teach your boys and girls the latest things in vice, And generally prevent your getting peace at any price ; And if at length you strike against a state of things chaotic, And give free play to feelings 'which are mainly patriotic — Rash man ! your action won't fit in with modern Christianity, Most clearly you're the victim of emotional insanity. 111. Again, if you should run across a hopeless renegade, Who struts around and brags about trhe girls he has betrayed; ►And if he makes a victim of your daughter or your wife, You'd better dogitate a bit before you • take his life. , For remember that, however strong may • be tho provocation, You'll stand a chance of forfeiting your mental reputation. What ! — — the. doctors ? Steady, man ! Don't utter such profanity, r Why, that's another symptom of emotional insanity. IV. Then raise your hat and bend your knees, and crawl in humble meek.ness, Before these wondrous medicos who probe your mental weakness. There's not a tiling that man has done • since dawning of creation, [That the experts cannpt classify as men- |~" tal aberration, And though it sounds suspiciously^ like blasphemy and libel, ■ f ' " Anent a little tragedy that's mentioned | in the Bible, They'll glance above their spectacles, and state with calm urbanity, That Holy Moses suffered from emotional insanity. LIONEL TERRY. Seacliff, August 23rd, 1907. [Lionel Terry escaped from Seacliff Asylum about a fortnight ago, and is still at large.]