archy and mehitabel

Don Marquis first introduced archy the cockroach and mehitabel, a cat in her ninth life, in his newspaper column in The Sun DIal, in 1916. In a previous incarnation archy was a free-verse poet, while mehitabel's soul once belonged to Cleopatra. She is "toujours gai", but archy is more philosophical. It is he who records their songs and observations on the boss's typewrite late at night. But he is not strong enough to make capital letters so it all comes out lower case: the main question is whether the stuff is literature or not IT IS. * First published in 1927, this free verse poem has become an essential part of American literature. * Cover design by George Giusti Cover drawing by Sydney Butchkes