I'm looking for a poem by Hughes Mearns

I first heard that 60 years ago as a nursery rhyme.

His poem is complete with just these four lines.


http://www.hycyber.com/VERSE/antigonish.html


There are many variations of his poem, like this one:

As I was going down the stair,
I saw a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today;
he must be from the CIA

That's one of my favorite poems....

Tartarin is the one who intruduced me to it.

CB, are you sure that that's it? I have heard the full version so I am sure it exists...maybe it was a different poem....

Unluckystar, I did a thorough search of the internet and this is all I came up with. In order to find out more, you most likely will have to inquire at your local library, or at the Library of Congress online. Good luck in your research!

hmmmm.....well thanks anyways, everyone!

Re: I'm looking for a poem by Hughes Mearns


I found this online...
The other day, upon a stair,
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today;
To his Glory let us pray.

Yesterday, upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there.
He's not been there a day or three,
I think he's from the EAC!

I asked another if he saw
the little man, he answered "Naw."
I've proved it true, I'm satisfied --
he can't be seen! I haven't lied!
Is this it?
Hope it helps!

ooh i think that is it!!! thanks!!

can anyone explain what this poem is about?

I first encountered the quatrain:

One day I met upon the stair,
A little man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today,
Oh, how I wish he'd stay away.

as a child meeting a nursery rhyme. I remember slotting the verse in the category, "poems that say more than words".

As an adult, I've got a number of little men who aren't there....aren't welcome....and won't necessarily stay away.

Well all you people who were posting here are probably no here any more, but yeah that peopm is used in one of my favorite books. DREAMCATCHER. The way it goes in the book is:

As i was going up the stair
I met a man who wasn't there;
He wasn't there again today!
I wish, I wish he'd stay away.

By Hughes Mearns.

I thought it was quite snazzy. :wink: Have a good'un.

Inlovewithagunslinger

At least 4 of the 6 posters are still here.

I hope you stay.

Ok well I will come back and check it every once in a while. If anyone has any really good quotes for me then you atta fork 'em over. I need them for my AIM profile. Thankee' sai.

That poem reminds me this lyric. Does anyone thought of this song, somehow related with Mearns poem?


The Man Who Sold The World - The Song
Words and music by David Bowie.
Lyrics
We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when
Although I wasn't there, he said I was his friend
Which came as some surprise I spoke into his eyes
I thought you died alone, a long long time ago

Oh no, not me
I never lost control
You're face to face
With The Man Who Sold The World

I laughed and shook his hand, and made my way back home
I searched for form and land, for years and years I roamed
I gazed a gazely stare at all the millions here
We must have died along, a long long time ago

Who knows? not me
We never lost control
You're face to face
With the Man who Sold the World

Welcome to a2k Christian Blackwood. Hope you enjoy your stay here. The tenor of your post reminds me of some of the quatrains from the Rubaiyat of Omar Kayyam.

examples:

Myself when young did eagerly frequent
Doctor and Saint, and heard great argument
About it and about: but evermore
Came out by the same door where in I went.


There was the Door to which I found no Key;
There was the Veil through which I might not see:
Some little talk awhile of Me and Thee
There was--and then no more of Thee and Me.

I`m new here,but hope I can help on this one.

unluckystar
Is this what you are looking for?

Yesterday upon the stair,
I met a man who wasn't there.
He wasn't there again today,
I think he's from the CIA.
He's put a tap upon my phone,
and listens when I'm not at home.
He hears the things I do not say,
Records my thoughts to earn his pay.

I worry when he's not around,
He might be hiding underground.
Or somewhere else, I cannot say,
I don't know where he is today!

I fear he'll push me down the stair,
Or stab my back or grab my hair.
Oh, shadowy man from CIA,
Won't you please just go away?

No, wait, what's this? I think I hear
The sound of footsteps in my ear.
Oh, drat! He's here again today
To follow me upon my way.

He'll read these words I've left for you,
And then you'll be his target too.
But I'll escape - I know the way,
I'll set my clock to yesterday!

He'll fail to find me anywhere,
Because, you see, I won't be there!
He'll look for me upon my way,
And disappointed be, but hey!

You'll still be here, I fear it's true,
He'll concentrate on watching you!
He'll tap your phone this very day,
And hear the words you do not say!

So if you meet upon the stair
A shadow man who isn't there,
Beware, my friend, he's here to stay,
For he's the Man from CIA.

How do we know the Pink Fud Site has an "exclusive" on this? Well, the first verse was restroom grafitti, and we commissioned a college student to complete it for us. So the blame is ours, and so are the rights - for what they're worth. If you want to reproduce it for any purpose, or publish it on another website, go ahead. But give the Pink Fud Site credit for it, please!

Edit: Moderator: Link removed

Looking for a poem by Hughes Mearns?
Hi,
The original poem is Antigonish (1899) and can be found, along with more information and verse, at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Hughes_Mearns
Have fun,
C

This is the very thread that first brought me to A2K...Ah, memories!

The man who wasn't there
Thanks for the info. It was recently used in a PBS 2 hr "History of the Mormons". I remembered it as a childhood poem but could not remember the name of it or the actual words