{
 "id": "james-mcintyre/the-present-time",
 "title": "The Present Time",
 "ordinal": null,
 "subtitle": null,
 "poet": "James McIntyre",
 "poet_slug": "james-mcintyre",
 "language": "en",
 "book": "Poems of James McIntyre",
 "book_slug": "poems-of-james-mcintyre",
 "book_kind": "volume",
 "sequence": null,
 "container": null,
 "epigraph": null,
 "first_published": {
  "year": 1889,
  "venue": "Poems of James McIntyre (1889)",
  "note": "First located printing is this volume; an earlier periodical printing has not been established.",
  "uncertain": false,
  "sources": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_11791"
  ]
 },
 "source": {
  "kind": "standard-ebooks",
  "repo": "standardebooks/james-mcintyre_poetry",
  "file": "poetry.xhtml",
  "upstream": [
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_09542",
   "https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/36068",
   "https://archive.org/details/cihm_11791"
  ],
  "rights": "public domain (SE dedication; underlying text pre-1931)"
 },
 "verification": {
  "level": "structural-only",
  "last_checked": "2026-08-20"
 },
 "stats": {
  "n_lines": 32,
  "n_stanzas": 8,
  "n_parts": 0,
  "longest_line_chars": 38,
  "max_indent": 0
 },
 "site_ready": true,
 "parts": [],
 "stanzas": [
  [
   {
    "text": "This is no age for mystery,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "But full of eventful history;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Not a time for stupid dreaming,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "When the lightning it is gleaming.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "A brighter light doth now surpass,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And throws in shade once favored gas;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Now it is not an idle dream,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Predicting greater power than steam.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But perhaps it is not wise",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "For us to philosophise,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "As we might get in water deep,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Or find a hill for us too steep.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Some think it is almost a crime",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To write a simple kind of rhyme",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "That every one can understand;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They love a style is lofty, grand.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Which no one can comprehend;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Without beginning or an end,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And if it only is obscure,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "To them it is a proof full sure.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "The authors have a mighty mind,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And to philosophy inclined;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "They adore the metaphysical,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And humble thoughts do them appal.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "But though our style it may seem rude,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "We love for to be understood;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And though we have no skill nor art,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "We hope to reach some honest heart.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ],
  [
   {
    "text": "Our old style walk will soon he gone,",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "In place of wood wo will have stone;",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "And water works from lofty tower",
    "indent": 0
   },
   {
    "text": "Blessings on the town will shower.",
    "indent": 0
   }
  ]
 ]
}