# George W. Reed explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

A brief, satirical poem about the contrast between fuel executives leisurely playing golf and the anxiety of ordinary people struggling to afford coal for the winter.

## Themes in this chapter

### Work and Profession

Highlights the disparity between the leisurely work of coal executives and the stressful financial burden on families.

### Money and Materialism

Focuses on the struggle to afford essential coal, contrasting with the apparent ease of those in power.

## Character check-ins

### Unknown Narrator

The speaker who contrasts the leisure of fuel men with the worry of common people.

### George K. Schmidt

Mentioned as Vice-President of Peabody Coal Co., representing the fuel men.

## Key lines

> These fuel men are pitiable souls; They’re out playing thirty-six holes, While we fuss and fret Our heads off to get The money for next winter’s coals.

The coal executives are out golfing while we worry endlessly about scraping together funds for winter heating.

_Satirical contrast between the leisure of the wealthy and the anxiety of the working class._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/george-w-reed
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters