for websearcher:
In December 1940 I received a book of comic verse for my tenth
birthday.  The book is long gone but I want another one.  It would be
hard to find but I know some people in Used Books who will help me
find it, once I know the author and the title.  My edtion of the book
had no dust cover but a shiny red and yellow cover.  It had something
in the title indicating what sort of book it was, but it might not
have said "comic verse", it might have been "light verse" or something
equivalent.

There are two poems in that book that I have never seen any place
else.  One might have been titled "Alexandria" but that's a guess. 
The first few lines are:

     One time in Alexandria, in wicked Alexandria
     Where nights are full of revely and life is but a game
     There lived, or so the story goes an adventuress and a courtesan
     The pride of Alexandria, and Thais was her name.
     .....
     ....
     Nearby in peace and piety avoiding all society
     There dwelt a <thing> of holy men who built a shelter there
     ......
     ......
     Now one monk whom I mention then amoong this grouop of holy men
     His name was Athanael he wa famous near and far.
     At fasting and at prayer with him no other could compare with him
     At ground and lofty praying he could do the course in par.
     ....
     ....

The other poem is (I'm pretty sure) called "Sapphics" and is the best
poem of this title that I have ever read, although this is all I
remember:

     Yes I am wondering what I shoud get her for Christmas,
     Ivory stew-pan perhaps or a satin um
     brella.

My question:  What is the name and author (it's probably "editor" not
author)of the book.  You don't have to tell me where to get it,
although if you know anyway I'd be grateful for the knowledge.

Oh, one other poem I think is in the Anthology:

            The Uses of Solid Reading
                     or
           How I felled the burgler

          I hit him squarely on the nose
          With the Oxford Book of English Prose

Good Luck!

---

Request for Question Clarification by websearcher-ga on 29 May 2005 17:45 PDT

Hi sweetpaws!

Thank you very much for asking specifically for my help. 

I've done some searching for you and come up with some interesting results. 

The first poem you mentioned was very simple to find. It is "Thais" by Newman Levy.

Thais
URL: http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/1025.html
Quote: "One time in Alexandria, in wicked Alexandria
Where nights were wild with revelry and life was but a game,
There lived, so the report is, an adventuress and courtesan
The pride of Alexandria, and Thais was her name...."

However, I was not able to find *any* mention of either of the other
two poems you quoted. So, given that, I decided to focus on finding an
appropriately named poetry collection which included the "Thais"
piece.

While I couldn't find an *anthology* (including works by many authors)
which contained "Thais", I was able to find a book of poetry by Levy
himself entitled "Gay But Wistful: Verses by Newman Levy", published
in 1925. This title seemed to me to pretty close to your "comic verse"
or "light verse" recollection.

Does this ring a bell?

Unfortunately, I was unable to find any picture of the cover of this
book to compare with your "red and yellow" cover memory.

There are two copies of this book on sale at alibris.com:

Gay but wistful; verses by Newman Levy
URL: http://www.alibris.com/search/search.cfm?qwork=2532753&wauth=Newman%20Levy&ptit=Gay%20but%20wistful%3B%20verses%20by%20Newman%20Levy%2E&pauth=Levy%2C%20Newman&pisbn=&pqty=2&pqtynew=0&pbest=9%2E70&matches=2&qsort=r&cm_re=works*listing*title

If you are unsure whether this is the book you had all those years
ago, one way to check it would be to go to a public library that has a
copy.

Find in a Library
URL: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/wcpa/servlet/WLAHoldingServlet;jsessionid=A064B0DE0C7A7B0750901D14406640BA.two?query=no%3A1492505&sessionid=A064B0DE0C7A7B0750901D14406640BA.two&recno=1&zip=
Note: If you enter your zip code or country and hit "Go" you should
get a list. I entered "10010" and got 3 libraries within easy driving
distance. Unfortunately, I'm in Canada and not near any library that
has a copy of this book.

Let me know whether this is (or might be) the book. If not, is there
anything else you can remember about it at all? Anything might help us
find it.

Thanks!

websearcher

---

Clarification of Question by sweetpaws-ga on 31 May 2005 10:26 PDT

I'm still working on finding "Gay but Wistful", no luck yet.  I've
tried searching out "ivory stewpan" from the other poem, no luck
there.  My book is definitely an anthology with multiple authors. 
"Purple Cow" is there, but then  it's everywhere.

However, I could be wrong, wrong about getting the book in 1940.  If I
got it in 1942 (for my twelfth birthday) then the book could be
"Innocent Merriment" edited by Franklin P. Adams.  Another poem from
the book I remember is incomplete:  "Said E.V. Reid to E.P. Roe/How do
you like Gabrilieow?/I like him very much indeed/Said E.P. Roe to
E.V.Reid."  This is garbled, especially the Gab.... person.  I haven't
heard of any of these people then or now, perhaps that is why the
verse stuck in my head.  There is also some Ogden Nash.  Thank you so
much for "Thais"! Good to see it again after so long.

---

Request for Question Clarification by websearcher-ga on 31 May 2005 11:27 PDT

Hi sweetpaws:

I looked for the Reid/Roe poem, but to no avail. As well, I wasn't
able to get any further clues about whether "Innocent Merriment" is it
either (though I did run across some mention of that book having a
*green* cover).

I'm not sure what more to do at this point...it is completely possible
that there is no detailed (i.e., list of authors) information
available for the book you remember. :-(

Is there anything else you would like me to look into on this question?

Sorry to disappoint. 

websearcher

---

Clarification of Question by sweetpaws-ga on 31 May 2005 13:06 PDT

I think you have done enough to collect the fee.  I've got several
paths to explore and wouldn't have any of them without you, I'm very
grateful.  I'm not sure exactly what the procedure is but I think if
you summarize what you have done as an Answer (as opposed to a request
for clarification) it will all go automagically from there.  See you
next question, and thanks.
Sweetpaws

Hi sweetpaws:

Thank you very much for recognizing the work that has gone into this
question - even though the ultimate answer was not found! You are a
gem amongst customers.

I owe you one - and I'd please like you to call me on it someday when
you need it. :-)

Here's a summation of what I found. 

**********************************

The first poem you mentioned was very simple to find. It is "Thais" by Newman Levy.

Thais
URL: http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/poems/1025.html
Quote: "One time in Alexandria, in wicked Alexandria
Where nights were wild with revelry and life was but a game,
There lived, so the report is, an adventuress and courtesan
The pride of Alexandria, and Thais was her name...."

However, I was not able to find *any* mention of either of the other
two poems you quoted in your original question. So, given that, I
decided to focus on finding an appropriately named poetry collection
which included the "Thais" piece.

While I couldn't find an *anthology* (including works by many authors)
which contained "Thais", I was able to find a book of poetry by Levy
himself entitled "Gay But Wistful: Verses by Newman Levy", published
in 1925. This title seemed to me to pretty close to your "comic verse"
or "light verse" recollection.

Unfortunately, I was unable to find any picture of the cover of this
book to compare with your "red and yellow" cover memory.

There are two copies of this book on sale at alibris.com:

Gay but wistful; verses by Newman Levy
URL: http://www.alibris.com/search/search.cfm?qwork=2532753&wauth=Newman%20Levy&ptit=Gay%20but%20wistful%3B%20verses%20by%20Newman%20Levy%2E&pauth=Levy%2C%20Newman&pisbn=&pqty=2&pqtynew=0&pbest=9%2E70&matches=2&qsort=r&cm_re=works*listing*title

If you are unsure whether this is the book you had all those years
ago, one way to check it would be to go to a public library that has a
copy.

Find in a Library
URL: http://www.worldcatlibraries.org/wcpa/servlet/WLAHoldingServlet;jsessionid=A064B0DE0C7A7B0750901D14406640BA.two?query=no%3A1492505&sessionid=A064B0DE0C7A7B0750901D14406640BA.two&recno=1&zip=
Note: If you enter your zip code or country and hit "Go" you should
get a list. I entered "10010" and got 3 libraries within easy driving
distance. Unfortunately, I'm in Canada and not near any library that
has a copy of this book.

This "Find in a Library" service can be VERY handy when looking for
any book in your neck of the woods.

I also looked for the Reid/Roe poem, but to no avail. As well, I wasn't
able to get any further clues about whether "Innocent Merriment" is it
either (though I did run across some mention of that book having a
*green* cover).

I'm not sure what more to do at this point...it is completely possible
that there is no detailed (i.e., list of authors) information
available for the book you remember. :-(

Again, thanks for allowing me to post this research as an official
answer. If you ever remember anything else or run into any further
clues about your original book, please let me know in a clarification
request and I will continue the hunt on your behalf.

Search Strategy (on Google):
* "wicked alexandria" revelry
* thais sapphics 
* burglar prose nose Oxford hit
* "Newman Levy" Thais anthology
* "Newman Levy" Thais 
* "gay but wistful" verses thais newman
* "gay but wistful" thais
* Thais "the purple cow" 
* Gelett Burgess newman levy ogden nash
* "Innocent Merriment" adams nash
+ dozens and dozen of other searches that turned up nothing

Thanks again!

websearcher

well done, and thank you.