poet lariat. America has even had a “poet lariat.” The venera- ble Bloodgood Cutter was named “poet lariat” by Mark Twain because of his “barbarous rhyme,” which reminded Twain of the wild and woolly West. This self-proclaimed poet, who op- erated a grist- and sawmill in Great Neck, New York, wrote such stirring lines as: The photographer in front was seen A getting ready his machine. |