Sunday Poem Series

Will

Will writes from Washington, D.C. (well, Arlington, Virginia). You can reach him at willblogcorrespondence at gmail dot com.

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12 Responses

  1. Nancy Irving says:

    Please, spare us the histrionics. Sheesh.Report

  2. Bob Cheeks says:

    ‘ard to beat brother Kipling!Report

  3. MR Bill says:

    From W.H. Auden’s “In Memory of William Butler Yeats”:

    “Earth, receive an honoured guest:
    William Yeats is laid to rest.
    Let the Irish vessel lie
    Emptied of its poetry.”

    [Auden later deleted the next three stanzas.]

    “Time that is intolerant
    Of the brave and the innocent,
    And indifferent in a week
    To a beautiful physique,

    Worships language and forgives
    Everyone by whom it lives;
    Pardons cowardice, conceit,
    Lays its honours at their feet.

    Time that with this strange excuse
    Pardoned Kipling and his views,
    And will pardon Paul Claudel,
    Pardons him for writing well.”Report

  4. North says:

    That’s a good challenger verse Mr. Bill. Somewhat Kiplingesque itself even.
    And yes he was a bit of an old coger with some throwback views but he will always be one of the masters of poetry for me. Hey no wonder I get along with brother Cheeks!Report

  5. Mr. Prosser says:

    I remember reading this doggerel in a graduation card 45 years ago when I graduated from high school. I thought it was schmaltz then and I still do.Report

  6. Jaybird says:

    It’s no “everybody should wear sunscreen”.Report

  7. Sonny Bunch says:

    I prefer Lindsay Anderson’s “If….” to Kipling’s, myself.Report