And the talk slid north, and the talk slid south
With the sliding puffs from the hookah-mouth;
read more

And the talk slid north, and the talk slid south
With the sliding puffs from the hookah-mouth;
Four things greater than all things are--
Women and Horses and Power and War.

What cracker is this same that deafs our ears
With this abundance of superfluous breath?

What cracker is this same that deafs our ears
With this abundance of superfluous breath?

Stop not, unthinking, every friend you meet
To spin your wordy fabric in the street;
While you read more

Stop not, unthinking, every friend you meet
To spin your wordy fabric in the street;
While you are emptying your colloquial pack,
The fiend Lumbago jumps upon his back.

Whose talk is of bullocks.

Whose talk is of bullocks.

My tongue within my lips I rein:
For who talks much must talk in vain.

My tongue within my lips I rein:
For who talks much must talk in vain.

Then he will talk--good gods, how he will talk!

Then he will talk--good gods, how he will talk!

Persuasion tips his tongue whene'er he talks.

Persuasion tips his tongue whene'er he talks.

But far more numerous was the herd of such,
Who think too little, and who talk too much.

But far more numerous was the herd of such,
Who think too little, and who talk too much.

No season now for calm, familiar talk.

No season now for calm, familiar talk.