Love-songs, at Once Tender and Informative III — Summary

Samuel Hoffenstein’s two-line squib opens in a grand, almost heroic tone, then immediately drops into a sly joke. The speaker asks whether there is any man so thick-skinned—or so insatiable—that he could seriously claim two sexes are not enough. The question is purposely absurd: it invites a knowing smile rather than an answer. The humor comes from the contrast between the lofty wording and the very human, slightly mischievous subject. The mood is playful, urbane, and a touch ironic, as if the speaker is teasing anyone who imagines desire could ever be simple or easily satisfied. Underneath the joke lies a quiet assumption that two sexes already provide more than enough fascination and complication—so asking for more would be either greed or folly. In just two lines, the poem sounds impressive and then undercuts that impressiveness with a wink.