The Death of Richard Shawn

‘Twas the twentieth century, decade the eighth,
when occurr’d scenes absurd, as arose Richard’s wraith.
‘Twas a fortnight plus two after April the first (!),
this bizarre au revoir Richard hadn’t rehears’d.

In performance at U of C’s Mandeville Hall,

Richard utter’d these words while portraying a pol:
“If elected, I’ll never lay down on the job,”
whereon Richard Shawn started to stagger and bob.

In a twinkling he’d toppled face-down on the stage.

Was it part of Dick’s act…? This the crowd couldn’t gauge.
He lay motionless; more than two minutes pass’d by.
Then a stagehand, examining him, cried, “Oh, my!

“Can it be there’s a medical man in the house…?

Our poor Dick may be sick; we all know he’s no souse.
Please initiate CPR, somebody, quick.”
But his audience sat, saying, “We love Dick’s schtick.”

When they finally leave, still unsure what they’ve seen,

each inquires. “Was it real or just comic routine…?”
All the newspapers noted the following day:
“Richard Schulefand aka Shawn’s pass’d away.”

Richard died of a heart attack. Ironic, that,
as he’d guest hosted Carson, providing the chat
the night TV its last cigarette advert air’d.
‘Tis a mad, mad, mad, world…nor is anyone spared.