... a French poem.

Of all the houses in the world
Only a balcony will remain
And of the human worldmap
A sadness without ceiling.
Of the late Atlantic Ocean
A little salt taste in the air,
A flying magical fish
Who will know nothing of the sea.

—Jules Supervielle, "Prophétie."

... a limerick.

A cento's a work that combines,
In some fashion, a number of lines
Other authors have penned.
It's an interesting blend
Of the output of literate minds.

—Chris Doyle, from The Omnificent English Dictionary in Limerick Form.

... a dictionary of English phrases.

Dutch Auction, A: a method of sale whereby the price of an article is successively reduced until a purchaser is forthcoming.

Dutch Bargain, A: (1) a one-sided bargain. From the couplet:— 'In matters of commerce the fault of the Dutch / Is giving too little and asking too much.'
(2) a bargain concluded by the parties drinking together.

Dutch Comfort: comfort derived from the knowledge that affairs might be worse than they are.

Dutch Concert, A: a great commotion and uproar, such as that made by a company of intoxicated Dutchmen.

Dutch Courage: physical courage induced by intoxication.

Dutch Feast, A: an entertainment at which the host gets drunk first.

Dutch Gleek: drinking. Gleek is an old game. The suggestion is that the favorite game of the Dutch is drinking.

Dutch Nightingales: frogs.

Dutch, To beat the: to make a statement apparently incredible.

Dutch Uncle, To talk like a: to reprove sharply. The Dutch were reputed to exercise severe discipline.

—Albert M. Hyamson, in A Dictionary of English Phrases. And the Oxford English Dictionary has this to add: "Dutch wife: a bolster used for resting the legs in bed."

... a preface.

This is the true joy in life, the being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one; the being thoroughly worn out before you are thrown on the scrap heap; the being a force of Nature instead of a feverish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy.

And the only real tragedy in life is the being used by personally minded men for purposes which you recognize to be base. This alone is misery, slavery, hell on earth; and the revolt against it is the only force that offers a man's work to the poor artist.

—George Bernard Shaw, preface to Man and Superman.

... a writer on writing.

It is only because the world looks on his talent with such a frightening indifference that the artist is compelled to make his talent important.

—James Baldwin, source unknown.

... another French novel.

We led him back upstairs and out into the air. It was two in the morning. Not a cat.

—Marcel Aymé, Les tiroirs de l'inconnu, p. 65 of 279.