The poem begins like a small, familiar scene of generosity: the speaker walks out with a dog to watch some poor children, dressed in tawny clothes, singing. But the giving quickly slips out of the ordinary. The gift is five gold pieces, which sounds grand, then "a sound lesson upon the flag," which is oddly vague and a little menacing. It ends with "a silver can of ham three stories high," an image so impossible that it tips the whole thing into the absurd.
The speaker seems pleased with himself, even proud, and that may be the point. The title, "Philanthropist," sets up a kindly figure, yet the gifts feel lavish, bossy and out of touch. Gold, a patriotic lecture and a giant tin of ham are not what singing children would likely need. The mood is dreamlike and gently satirical, as if charity has turned into a show of the giver's own importance.