Penniwit is a photographer in Spoon River who lost his customers because he wanted to reveal something true about them, not just take an ordinary portrait. He remembers his best photograph: Judge Somers, a lawyer with a cross-eye, made him wait until the eye looked straight. Just before the shot, Penniwit called out “overruled,” and the judge’s eye rolled upward into the exact expression he wore in court when saying “I except.” The speaker takes quiet pride in catching that real, unguarded moment. The mood is wry and a little bittersweet—there is humor in the trick, but also sadness, since Penniwit’s honesty as an artist cost him his livelihood.
Penniwit, the Artist — Summary
I lost my patronage in Spoon River From trying to put my mind in the camera To catch the soul of the person. The very best picture I ever took Was of Judge Somers, attorney at law. He sat upright and had me pause Till he got his cross-eye straight. Then when he was ready he said “all right.” And I yelled “overruled” and his eye turned up. And I caught him just as he used to look When saying “I except.”