Explore "An Upright Man" by Thomas Burke on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
The grave and thin-faced one who keeps the Bespoke Tailor's Shop, / And subjects his child to treatment of a most disagreeable nature, / Never goes into the Blue Lantern, / Never takes pellet of li-un or nut of areca, / Or communes with Black Smoke, / Or loses money at puckapoo, / Or makes public outcry or gesture / Expressive of delight in his friends, / Or does foolish and unworthy things, / Or makes exchange of hats with friends.
He has no friends, for he has no weaknesses. / While others fall to the simple follies of humanity / He walks ever upright and self-contained, devout and dignified, / And ill-treats his child at night.