Form: a quarterly of the arts (N.S. 1.1921/1922)

GditorialbyVI. H.DWIES

HE first thing I
did, on undertak-
ing the duties of an
editor, was to has-
ten off to China by
thefirstboat,toin-
terview the great
poet Ah Me. “If
I can only get a
poem from him,”
thought I, “the success of my first number
will be certain.” But when I reached Ah Me’s
house, and found the Master at home, I was
told at once that he could only grant me ten
minutes, as he had already been visited by the
Pope of Rome, and was expecting the King
of Spain’s three daughters.

This news was disappointing, as I needed

a little rest, after all my arduous labour to
climb over the Great Wall of China, with
my nose scratched, and my hands and knees
too.

“Can you tell me, Ah Me,” I began, “why
the poet Ha Ha is being laughed at continually
by He He?”

“HeHe,”answered Ah Me, “—no catch—ee.”
From this remark I understood that He He
was of no account; that a knowledge of his
work was of no use to anyone; in other words
—it was no catch.

“Would you say that Pooh Bah is also no
good? I asked.

To which Ah Me replied “Pooh Bah, no
good-ee.”

“Would you go so far as to say that Pooh Bah
is no damn good?” I said.

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