Rhymes of a Rolling Stone/Ambition

by Robert W. Service

Ambition

They brought the mighty chief to town;They showed him strange, unwonted sights;Yet as he wandered up and down,He seemed to scorn their vain delights.His face was grim, his eye lacked fire,As one who mourns a glory dead;And when they sought his heart’s desire:“Me like’um tooth same gold,” he said.

A dental place they quickly found.He neither moaned nor moved his head.They pulled his teeth so white and sound;They put in teeth of gold instead.Oh, never saw I man so gay!His very being seemed to swell:“Ha! ha!” he cried, “Now Injun sayMe heap big chief, me look like hell.”