Great little pipe poem.

In my constant journey for interesting pipe smoking gems, I came across this wonderful poem.

"Smokers and Jokers"

I owe to smoking, more or less,
through life the whole of my success;
with trusty pipe I'm sage and wise:
without I'm dull as cloudy skies.
When smoking all my ideas soar;
when not they sink upon the floor.
The greatest men have all been smokers,
and so were all the greatest jokers.

Anon (1835).

To compliment the poem I thought this rather cheery, happy picture of a contented pipe smoker was appropriate.The picture (Pipe smoking man) was painted by a great Scot's artist Kevin Jackson.

PS. the gentleman in the picture Cedric,assures me that the pipe is in fact an adapted Pete!