Do I sleep? Do I dream? 
Am I hoaxed by a scout? 
Are things what they seem, 
Or is Sophists about? 
Is our 'to ti en einai' a failure, or is Robert Browning played 
out?
Which expressions like these 
May be fairly applied 
By a party who sees 
A Society skied 
Upon tea that the Warden of Keble had biled with legitimate 
pride.
'Twas November the third, 
And I says to Bill Nye, 
'Which it's true what I've heard: 
If you're, so to speak, fly, 
There's a chance of some tea and cheap culture, the sort 
recommended as High.'
Which I mentioned its name, 
And he ups and remarks: 
'If dress-coats is the game 
And pow-wow in the Parks, 
Then I 'm nuts on Sordello and Hohenstiel-Schwangau and similar 
Snarks.'
Now the pride of Bill Nye 
Cannot well be express'd; 
For he wore a white tie 
And a cut-away vest: 
Says I, 'Solomon's lilies ain't in it, and they was reputed well 
dress'd.'
But not far did we wend, 
When we saw Pippa pass 
On the arm of a friend 
?Doctor Furnivall 'twas, 
And he wore in his hat two half-tickets for London, return, 
second-class.
'Well,' I thought, 'this is odd.' 
But we came pretty quick 
To a sort of a quad 
That was all of red brick, 
And I says to the porter,?'R. Browning: free passes; and kindly 
look slick.'
But says he, dripping tears 
In his check handkerchief, 
'That symposium's career's 
Been regrettably brief, 
For it went all its pile upon crumpets and busted on 
gunpowder-leaf!'
Then we tucked up the sleeves 
Of our shirts (that were biled), 
Which the reader perceives 
That our feelings were riled, 
And we went for that man till his mother had doubted the traits 
of her child.
Which emotions like these 
Must be freely indulged 
By a party who sees 
A Society bulged 
On a reef the existence of which its prospectus had never 
divulged.
But I ask,?Do I dream? 
Has it gone up the spout? 
Are things what they seem, 
Or is Sophists about? 
Is our 'to ti en einai' a failure, or is Robert Browning played 
out?