Maggie's Farm

Grotesque

 Dr. Newman with his crooked pince-nez
Had studied in Vienna and Chicago.
Chess was his only relaxation.
And Dr. Newman remained unperturbed
By every nastier manifestation
Of pluto-democratic civilization:
All that was cranky, corny, ill-behaved,
Unnecessary, askew or orgiastic
Would creep unbidden to his side door (hidden
Behind a poster in the Tube station
Nearly half-way up the moving stairs),
Push its way in, the squat there undisturbed
Among the box files and tubular steel chairs.
H was once seen at the Philharmonic Hall
Seeing the reactions of two patients,
With pronounced paranaoic tendencies,
To old Dutch music. He appeared to recall
A tin of lozenges in his breast pocket,
Put his hand confidently in -
And drew out a black imp, or sooterkin,
Six inches long, with one ear upside-down,
Licking at an ice-cream corner -
Then put it back again with a slight frown.