measureless by man,
The Wondrous Show to see!
There many miles of fertile ground
With walls and towers were girdled round:
And there were gardens bright with sinuous rills
Surrounding halls of vast machinery.
And all earth's products, from fine arts to pills,
Massed in that maze by that great inland sea.

Fast, from that deep romantic chasm which slanted
Through Colorado, the Grand Canon; over
Yellowstone's marvel--teeming miles enchanted;
Far-sweeping prairies erst by redskins haunted;
Steaming and railing, like bee-swarms to clover,
The world-crowd swept, with ceaseless turmoil seething;
It seemed the earth in eager pants was breathing
In a great race to see who should be first
Into that many-acred Show to burst,
And conquering COLUMBIA there to hail
Creation-licker on colossal scale.
By Michigan's large lake, once and for ever,
Surpassing other Shows, in park, by river,
O'er miles meandering, this last Yankee Notion
Through wood and meadow like a river ran,
Vast Exposition of the Arts of Man!
Hyde Park compared therewith stirred small emotion,
And proud COLUMBIA, waving Stripes and Stars,
Cried, "The White City whips the Champ de Mars!"

The shadow of that dome of treasure
Floated midway on the wave.
(See CASTAIGNE'S drawings--they're a pleasure--
In the May _Century_ pictured brave.)
It was a miracle of rare device,
Costing "a pile," but cheap at any price!
A damsel with a five-stringed "Jo"
In a vision once I saw;
It was an Alabama maid,
And on her banjo light she played,
Singing of sweet Su-san-nah!
Could I revive within me
Amphion's lyric song,
To such a deep delight 'twould win me
As the music loud and long
That sure did raise this dome in air,
That mighty dome!--those halls of price!
COLUMBIA'S magic set them there,
And all who see cry, "Rare! O rare!
This beats great KUBLA KHAN'S device!
Chicago outsoars Xanadu!
COLUMBIA'S World's Fair here on view
Eclipses SHEDAD'S Paradise!"

There, Madam! _The_ British Ambassador, _Punch_,
Has borrowed the lyre of the Opium-eater
To praise your unparalleled feat! By his hunch
'Twould tax that great master of magic and metre
To do it full justice. To paint such a vision
The limner need call on the aid of the Poppy.
It is a Big Blend of the Truly Elysian,
And (you'll comprehend!) the Colossally Sh