Vintage Colorado Poetry features an excerpt from the full-length poem, which was published in 1868.
Poem of the Week
October 4, 2004
Auraria / Denver City
Source: U.S. Mint, Denver - website.
Towards Denver City
Towards Denver City let us now propel,
Of its strange sights and startling wonders tell.
How each log-cabin with dirt-covered roof,
In rainy weather was quite water-proof.
But when no longer storms about them lower,
For days the inmates had their little shower !
Crowds thronged the gambling halls by day and night ;
How they did scatter in a row or fight !
At Denver Hall, moved by an impulse strong,
One frightened pilgrim took the sash along !
But dog-fights were too good a thing to lose,
Nineteen a day just met the people's views ;
That is, if each his mind had freely spoken,
For dull monotony and heads were broken !
Before a dog-fight lasted half a minute,
No use of talking, all the men were in it !
Mankind in dances 'reft of woman's charms,
Tied handkerchiefs about each other's arms.
The "knot was tied" which changed some men to
women !
They blushed and gushed --- the dances went on
swimmin' !
--Lawrence N. Greenleaf
Reprinted from King Sham and Other Atrocities in Verse; including
a Humorous History of the Pike's Peak Excitement by Lawrence N. Greenleaf. New York: Published by Hurd and Houghton, 1868.
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