# John Borden explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

A brief limerick-style tribute to John Borden, a Chicago capitalist whose yacht served in wartime, suggesting his contribution was pivotal to the Allied effort.

## Character check-ins

### John Borden

Subject of the limerick, a capitalist from Chicago whose yacht was used during the war.

## Key lines

> In peace times his boat is a yacht, But during the war, it was not. If John hadn’t came Across with the same, The Kaiser might still speak to Gott.

In peacetime, John Borden's boat was a luxury yacht, but during the war it was repurposed for military service. His contribution was so significant that without it, the German Kaiser might still be in power.

_The limerick humorously exaggerates Borden's role in World War I._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters/john-borden
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/poetry_19_se/chapters