Say “hullo” to Oswald Spengler,

The philosopher of doom.

 Step out of your offices

And listen to his prophecies

And you’ll be overcome with gloom.

Say “hullo” to Oswald Spengler,

Sit with him and drink some wine.

Listen to him quoting Goethe

As you look out on the Erde,

And watch the West decline.

Say “hullo” to Oswald Spengler,

World’s first Prussian Socialist;

He called for interactions

Between these sep’rate factions,

And alas, he got just what he wished!

Say “good-bye” to Oswald Spengler;

He’s a rather Gloomy Gus.

I don’t like him, nor need you,

And I think it’s also true

He would not think much of us.

I got the idea for this poem from listening to the They Might Be Giants song “Meet James Ensor”.  I like the idea of a poem about meeting a historical figure.

I read a lot of Spengler in college.  I find him fascinating, because it’s interesting to see that a man who was clearly amazingly intelligent could end up thinking of some really terrible ideas.