Minnie Misses Her Marx (July 17, 1886): A Constrained Rhyme

Before there was a Herbert Marx (barnstorm your zep, O Herbert Marx!);
before there was a Milton Marx (bedpost your gum, O Milton Marx!);
before there was a Leonard Marx (eyeball your chick, O Leonard Marx!);
before there was an Arthur Marx (restring your harp, O Arthur Marx!);
before there was a Julius Marx (you’re such a grouch, O Julius Marx!);
before all five was Manfred Marx…

Hold!

Tocsins tolled. ‘Twas oh-h-h, so cold. (Was Manfred Marx’s fate foretold?)
Five Marx of silver; one of gold, one soul whose tale’s till now untold.
Day one, young Mannie’s jumping sharks (Min never scolds her Manfred Marx),
tho' Mann's unstrolled through city parks (Min never holds her Manfred Marx).
This tale, tho' droll, of Manfred Marx now’s told. Min weeps as Mann embarks.
Altho' Mann leaves on Min his marks, he leaves for good, does Manfred Marx.
With Pip and Joe he’ll know no larks (misunderstood be Manfred Marx),
nor speed read books of Muriel Spark’s (misunderstood, he: Manfred Marx),
nor hunt, with Lewis Carroll, snarks (misunderstood, wee Manfred Marx),
nor search with Jones for long-lost arks (misunderstood, see…? Manfred Marx).
He’ll split no element’ry quarks; he’ll walk alone through dawns, through darks.
Was ever cold, was Manfred Marx. Was never old, was Manfred Marx.