Mrs. Leary's Cow: A Legend of Chicago

This lively satirical poem turns the famous story of a cow, a fallen lamp, and Chicago’s devastating fire into a biting commentary on disaster and accountability. With jaunty rhymes and a recurring refrain, it follows the trail from a humble barn to charred buildings, soaring claims, and the anxious world of insurance.

Behind the comic exaggeration lies a sharp look at corporate evasions, inflated confidence, questionable accounting, and the scramble to explain losses when the numbers become impossible to ignore. Insurance officers, agents, and shareholders take center stage as the poem pokes fun at solemn statements, fine-print defenses, and the pressure to preserve appearances. Witty, topical, and steeped in the language of its era, this short work offers an entertaining glimpse into how nineteenth-century readers processed one of America’s most notorious urban disasters.