Autumn

By Elizabeth Madox Roberts

Dick and Will and Charles and I
Were playing it was election day,
And I was running for president,
And Dick was a band that was going to play,
And Charles and Will were a street parade,
But Clarence came and said that he
Was going to run for president,
And I could run for school-trustee.
He made some flags for Charles and Will
And a badge to go on Dickie’s coat.
He stood some cornstalks by the fence
And had them for the men that vote.
Then he climbed on a box and made a speech
To the cornstalk men that were in a row
It was all about the dem-o-crats,
And “I de-fy any man to show.”
And “I de-fy any man to say.”
And all about “It’s a big disgrace.”
He spoke his speech out very loud
And shook his fist in a cornstalk’s face.