| Harriet Monroe, ed. (1860–1936). Poetry: A Magazine of Verse. 1912–22. | | | | The Modest Jazz-bird | | By Vachel Lindsay |
| | From “Whimseys”
THE JAZZ-BIRD sings a barnyard song— | |
| A cock-a-doodle bray, | |
| A jingle-bells, a boiler works, | |
| A he-man’s roundelay. | |
| |
| The eagle said, “My noisy son, | 5 |
| I send you out to fight!” | |
| So the youngster spread his sunflower wings | |
| And roared with all his might. | |
| |
| His headlight eyes went flashing | |
| From Oregon to Maine; | 10 |
| And the land was dark with airships | |
| In the darting Jazz-bird’s train. | |
| |
| Crossing the howling ocean, | |
| His bell-mouth shook the sky; | |
| And the Yankees in the trenches | 15 |
| Gave back the hue and cry. | |
| |
| And Europe had not heard the like— | |
| And Germany went down! | |
| The fowl of steel with clashing claws | |
| Tore off the Kaiser’s crown. | 20 | | | |
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