CROSSING THE HEIGHTS

It is queer that the unhappiness of the world is so often

brought on by small men . . . . They are mostly con-

founded little martinets.

Remarque

Alack for shorties!

It's in our genes

To attain our ends

By gruesome means.

Our complex is such,

We boast our zest,

Like the column of Trajan,

For continual conquest.

We're Lenin and Stalin

And Napoleon

And Genghis Khan

Rolled into one.

Yet that's old hat-

That's science creaking.

Moderns determine

By statistically speaking.

So for terrible Ivan

And tyrant Peron

And Louis' enemy,

Ottoman Suleiman,

Each high official

And military clone,

It is obvious they,

Not by birth alone

Or education, rose

To their stature:

For Saladin, Haman-

All's nomenclature!

Yes, martinets stem

From the race of men

Whose common name ends

With the letter N.