Inspiration

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="11f285a1erlcgo.png"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC66" FACE="Arial" ><B>Berton Braley Cyber Museum</B></FONT><B>     |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Berton Braley Cyber Museum"><U><B>home</B></U></A><B>     </B></div> <div>                                                   </div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="11ed2c00dkelyh.png"> <div> <A HREF="news_.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="News"><U>News</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="biography.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Biography"><U>Biography</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="works.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Works"><U>Works</U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="bibliography.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Bibliography"><U>Bibliography</U></A></div> <div> <A 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                                                                                                  </I></div> <div> <I><B>I always keep quite sober--or at least I thought I could,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>But I'm doubtful, at the moment, if it's true;</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>For at one o'clock this morning, so I understand, I stood</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Peddling pencils on our smartest avenue,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Then I had a sweeper's cart and broom and uniform, at two,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>While I diligently cleaned the streets of grime,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>If you aks me for the reason I can only say to you,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>"Well, it seemd a good idea--at the time!"</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Somewhat later (so they tell me) I was going pretty good,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Dancing solo in a restaurant I knew,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Then to demonstrate my prowess and my manly hardihood,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>I tried to wrestle with the bouncer and his crew.</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>When I got up from the pavement with my eye a trifle blue,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>I announced myself a Master-Mind of Crime</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>And I hid behind a hydrant so as not to leave a clue--</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Well, it seemed a good idea, at the time!</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>If I give you explanation, as undoubtedly I should,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Why I climbed up on a statue "for the view,"</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Why I drove into a drugstore with a load of kindling wood</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>While the driver ate his early morning stew;</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>If you ask me why I battled with the seven coppers who</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>Interrupted inspirations so sublime,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>I can only answer frankly--if you think an answer due--</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>"Well, it seemed a good idea at the time!"</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>                              </B></I><I><B>Envoy</B></I></div> <bR> <div> <I><B>Judge, I tell you on my honor, I am finished, I am through,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B> What I did had neither reason, sense nor rhyme,</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>In the cold gray morning-after, my performance looks askew--</B></I></div> <div> <I><B>But it seemed a good idea at the time!</B></I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <I>Published in: </I><A HREF="id69.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Life Magazine"><U><I>Life Magazine </I></U></A><I>- </I><I>December 19, 1930</I></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <A HREF="copyright.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Copyright"><U><I>© 2000-2006, Berton Braley Cyber Museum. </I></U></A></div> <div> <A HREF="copyright.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Copyright"><U><I>All rights reserved.</I></U></A></div> <div> <I>---</I></div> <div> <A HREF="mailto:info@bertonbraley.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:info@bertonbraley.com"><U><I>Contact Webmaster Peter 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