Black Beetles in Amber

by Ambrose Bierce

TINKER DICK

TINKER DICK

Good Parson Dickson preached, I'm told,
A sermon--ah, 'twas very old
And very, very, bald!
'Twas all about--I know not what
It was about, nor what 'twas not.
"A Screw Loose" it was called.

Whatever, Parson Dick, you say,
The world will get each blessed day
Still more and more askew,
And fall apart at last. Great snakes!
What skillful tinker ever takes
His tongue to turn a screw?