by Mona Van Duyan
(B. 1901)

One person present steps on his pedal of speech
And, like a faulty drinking fountain, it spurts
All over the room in facts, and puns, and jokes,
On books, on people, on politics, on sports,
On everything. Two or three others, gathered
To chat, must bear his unending monologue...
Like a giant buzz of a giant fly,
Or a magnanimous bullfrog
Croaking for all frogs of the world. Amid
The screech of traffic or in a hubbub crowd
He climbs the decibels toward some glorious view.
I think he only loves himself out loud