Mile-a-Minute Murphy
Paced by the Long Island Railroad's
fastest locomotive, "hot missiles"
striking face and body, whip-
sawed in "a maelstrom
of swirling dust
and hot cinders,"
blinded by soot and half
demented,
Charles Minthorn Murphy
pedaled one mile in 57.8
seconds on a Tribune Blue
Streak bicycle.
At the finish they lifted
him to the platform.
Thought he was dead.
He wasn't dead.
He was Mile-a-Minute Murphy.
Beware, athletes,
of the body that scouts
so far ahead.
Beware the single high
point:
It can lead to cheap
cigars
and the Vaudeville
circuit.
Jack Johnson
and Sitting Bull.
Babe Ruth
singing his little ditty.
Paced by the Long Island Railroad's
fastest locomotive, "hot missiles"
striking face and body, whip-
sawed in "a maelstrom
of swirling dust
and hot cinders,"
blinded by soot and half
demented,
Charles Minthorn Murphy
pedaled one mile in 57.8
seconds on a Tribune Blue
Streak bicycle.
At the finish they lifted
him to the platform.
Thought he was dead.
He wasn't dead.
He was Mile-a-Minute Murphy.
Beware, athletes,
of the body that scouts
so far ahead.
Beware the single high
point:
It can lead to cheap
cigars
and the Vaudeville
circuit.
Jack Johnson
and Sitting Bull.
Babe Ruth
singing his little ditty.
©Daniel Dahlquist