Happy Birthday, Don

Today in 1878, in Walnut, Illinois, Donald Robert Perry Marquis was born - newspaper columnist, playwright, and short-story writer Don Marquis, best known for his tales of archy and Mehitabel.

my youth i shall never forget
but there s nothing i really regret
wotthehell wotthehell
there s a dance in the old dame yet
toujours gai toujours gai

the things that i had not ought to
i do because i ve gotto
wotthehell wotthehell
and i end with my favorite motto
toujours gai toujours gai

But he wrote more than them:

The caterpillar just eats and loafs and sleeps -- and after awhile, without any effort, it turns into a butterfly, with nothing to do but flit around and be beautiful. And the tumblebug toils and pants and sweats and worries, pushing its burden up hill forever, like Sisyphus, and pretty soon some one comes along and thinks how vulgar and ugly it is, and steps on it and squashes it. Idleness and beauty are their own rewards.

No trick or kick of fate
Can raise from me a yell --
Serene, I sit and wait
For the world to go to hell.