The following little poem has quite a little following.
As I was going up the stair
I met a man who wasn’t there.
He wasn’t there again today.
I wish, I wish he’d stay away.
It is credited to a fellow named Hughes Mearns, and I have seen reference to “The Psychoed” as a publication and as a play. I even found one other quatrain which is almost as interesting.
As I was sitting in my chair,
I knew the bottom wasn’t there,
Nor legs nor back, but I just sat,
Ignoring little things like that.
What I can’t find is any reference to the complete text. Not as a book, not as an online document, not as a part of a larger publication. Does anyone know the history of this cute little piece of doggerel? Thanks.