# John D. Black explained — Poetry

> Chapter companion for Poetry by Ring Lardner.

## What happens

A brief humorous quip from John D. Black, a Chicago lawyer, who jokes that Rockefeller's Standard Oil Company would be struggling if not for the gas it sells to another John D.

## Themes in this chapter

### Humor and Satire

The chapter consists of a single humorous line poking fun at the oil industry and Rockefeller.

## Character check-ins

### John D. Black

Chicago lawyer who makes a witty remark about Rockefeller and Standard Oil.

## Key lines

> John D. Black Lawyer, Chicago My Pal Rockefeller told me That the Standard Oil Com’ny would be In the down and out class If ’twere not for the gas that it sells to this other John D.

John D. Black, a lawyer from Chicago, said that his friend Rockefeller claimed Standard Oil would be bankrupt if it weren't for the gasoline it sells to him, another John D.

_The joke relies on the coincidence of names and the essential product of oil companies._

## Links

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