The Pet Voter : An Incident of the Recent Elections

His votes were failing fast; his foes began to wink:
I heard his voice; it said: ‘Think, gentle voter, think!’
And, looking up the street, before me I espied
A well appointed man with a voter at his side.

‘Why don’t you vote,’ he said, ‘as other voters do?
It would be nice for me and very good for you.
I’ll black your Sunday boots, and you shall be my king,
And when you change your mind, I’ll do the other thing.

‘At school and college bred, but to learning disinclined,
I’ve only studied hard to keep an open mind.
I’m something of a shot, I’ve well connected friends,
And I labor twice a year at drawing dividends.

‘Whilst you are working hard, I’ll legislate for you:
For if I don’t get in, I’ve not much else to do.
I’ll keep the Empire safe beneath my sheltering wing.
Or, if you’d rather not, I’ll do the other thing. 

‘What is it you would seek? What is wanting to your heart?
I’ll pass a law at once, if you but play your part. 
I’ll pass ten thousand laws, if you to vote agree:
It would be good for you and very nice for me.

‘Vote, gentle voter, vote! Have you forgot the day
I took your horny hand, and swore my soul away?
Vote, gentle voter, vote! You are my lord, my king!’
–The gentle voter turned and did the other thing. 

N.
Freedom : A Journal of Anarchist Communism, August 1892. https://archivesautonomies.org/IMG/pdf/nonfrenchpublications/english/freedom/freedom-volume06-n069.pdf