Once in a theatre comic
’Tween acts I pondered to see
On a column sculptured, wide and comic,
The grinning mask of Comedy;
And broad and wild in satyr-glee,
The grinning face of Comedy.
«Ah,» said I, «face merry and comic,
There is happiness in thee,
Few faces like thine, wide-mouth'd and comic,
Oh, grinning face of Comedy;
Boisterously wrinkled, ugly and free,
The grinning mask of Comedy.»
Worn, hysterical, mad, unfree,
Woe-twisted face of Comedy…