“Show me the place.”
Duke Senior
in As You Like It (2.1)
97: Custom House; Salem, Massachusetts; October 15, 2003
Yes, this the place where Hawthorne worked*—
And, later, which he used—
His Scarlet Letter intro, which
Makes readers feel abused.
“The Custom House”—it makes demands
Of those who wish to read
The tale of Hester and the guy
Who did the naughty deed!
But this I’ve found, I must confess:
The more I’ve read that tale,
The more I’ve liked it, less I’ve felt
As if I want to bail!
*1846–49
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