A Fitzgerald Holiday Poem

Letters of Note has lately been publishing some Fitzgerald letters that the blogosphere seems to be enjoying. They are, in fact, mostly rather well known to Fitz afficionados. Some of my favorites, however, are much less well known, so I am going to try to blog some Neglected Fitz on my Neglected Blog.

Here is an exchange of which I am very fond:

The Fitzgeralds' great friend from Great Neck, Ring Lardner, sent them a Christmas poem one year (Fitz's handwritten annotation at the end dates it in either 1927 0r 1928):

Fitz responded in kind, with one of his many witty poems.

Here is Fitz's rejoinder to Lardner:

You combed Third Avenue last year

For some small gift that was not too dear

—Like a candy cane or a worn out truss—

To give to a loving friend like us

You’d found gold eggs for such wealthy hicks

As the Edsell Fords and the Pittsburgh Fricks

The Andy Mellons, the Teddy Shonts

The Coleman T. and Pierre duPonts

But not one gift to brighten our hoem

—So I’m sending you back your God damn poem.

More Fitz Favorites anon ...