Vast empty shell! <br />Impertinent, preposterous abortion! <br />With vacant stare, <br />And ragged hair, <br />And every feature out of all proportion! <br />Embodiment of echoing inanity! <br />Excellent type of simpering insanity! <br />Unwieldy, clumsy nightmare of humanity! <br />I ring thy knell! <br /> <br />To-night thou diest, <br />Beast that destroy'st my heaven-born identity! <br />Nine weeks of nights, <br />Before the lights, <br />Swamped in thine own preposterous nonentity, <br />I've been ill-treated, cursed, and thrashed diurnally, <br />Credited for the smile you wear externally - <br />I feel disposed to smash thy face, infernally, <br />As there thou liest! <br /> <br />I've been thy brain: <br />I'VE been the brain that lit thy dull concavity! <br />The human race <br />Invest MY face <br />With thine expression of unchecked depravity, <br />Invested with a ghastly reciprocity, <br />I'VE been responsible for thy monstrosity, <br />I, for thy wanton, blundering ferocity - <br />But not again! <br /> <br />'T is time to toll <br />Thy knell, and that of follies pantomimical: <br />A nine weeks' run, <br />And thou hast done <br />All thou canst do to make thyself inimical. <br />Adieu, embodiment of all inanity! <br />Excellent type of simpering insanity! <br />Unwieldy, clumsy nightmare of humanity! <br />Freed is thy soul! <br /> <br />(THE MASK RESPONDETH.) <br /> <br />Oh! master mine, <br />Look thou within thee, ere again ill-using me. <br />Art thou aware <br />Of nothing there <br />Which might abuse thee, as thou art abusing me? <br />A brain that mourns THINE unredeemed rascality? <br />A soul that weeps at THY threadbare morality? <br />Both grieving that THEIR individuality <br />Is merged in thine?<br /><br />William Schwenck Gilbert<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/the-pantomime-super-to-his-mask/
