It needeth a true full-grown hero to shackle you,
Jupiter's son, and Alcmene's, no less!
Our civic Hercules smacks of the nursery,
Not three years old, though ambitious, no doubt;
_You_'ll scarce be captured by tentatives cursory.
Snared by a "motion," or scared by a "spout,"
Hera's pet, offspring of Typhon, the lion-clad
Hero assailed, _con amore_; but _you_,
Callous as Behemoth, hard as an iron-clad,
"Conciliation" with coldness will view
Fancy "approaching" the Hydra with honey-bait,
Tempting the monster to parley and purr!
How will Monopoly look on a money-bait?
Hercules, too, who would "like to defer?"
Not quite a true hard-shell hero--in attitude--
Hercules (County) Concilians looks;
Thinks he to move a true Hydra to gratitude?
Real Leviathan chortles at hooks!
"Come, pretty Hydra! 'Agreement provisional,'
Properly baited with sound _L.S.D._,
Ought to entice you!" He's scorn and derision all,
Hydra, if true to his breed. We shall see!
Just so a groom, with the bridle behind him,
Tempts a free horse with some corn in a sieve.
Will London's Hydra let "tentatives" blind him,
Snap at the bait, and the tempter believe?
Or will the "hero"--in form of Committee--
Really prove wax for the Hydra to mould?
Yes, there's the club, but it's rather a pity
Hercules seems a bit feeble of hold.