Saturday, November 10, 2012

miniver cheevy

I almost did Richard Cory instead of this one. It's better known and I suspect better thought of. But I like Miniver Cheevy. It makes me think of Harry. She wanted to be a knight when we were kids. I always had to be the dragon. 

And I feel like this should be longer, but it's been a long day and I've got a headache, so...the end.


Miniver Cheevy
E.A. Robinson

Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,
Grew lean while he assailed the seasons;
He wept that he was ever born,
And he had reasons.

Miniver loved the days of old
When swords were bright and steeds were prancing;
The vision of a warrior bold
Would set him dancing.

Miniver sighed for what was not,
And dreamed, and rested from his labors;
He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,
And Priam's neighbors.

Minever mourned the ripe renown
That made so many a name so fragrant;
He mourned Romance, now on the town,
And Art, a vagrant.

Minever loved the Medici,
Albeit he had never seen one;
He would have sinned incessantly
Could he have been one.

Miniver cursed the commonplace
And eyed a khaki suit with loathing;
He missed the mediƦval grace
Of iron clothing.

Miniver scorned the gold he sought,
But sore annoyed was he without it;
Miniver thought, and thought, and thought,
And thought about it.

Miniver Cheevy, born too late,
Scratched his head and kept on thinking;
Miniver coughed, and called it fate,
And kept on drinking.

31 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh, Miniver! I loved this one better too.

Sleep well, I hope your head feels better soon.

rsf

Greg Lestrade said...

Were you more Smaug, or Puff The Magic...?

Want me to rub your neck?

John H. D. Watson said...

More Smaug, definitely.

Yeah, that'd be nice. Thanks.

Greg Lestrade said...

I shall be getting Harry's opinion on that question, too...

John H. D. Watson said...

Hey, I had claws made out of sticks. Can't get more Smaug-like than that.

Greg Lestrade said...

...Huh.

You'd strike me as more Hobbit-like than Smaug-like, if I'm honest. Except your feet aren't hairy. But I can see you living in a hobbit-hole.

John H. D. Watson said...

I wouldn't mind. Always thought they sounded nice. Cosy. Well stocked larder. Round doors. What's not to like?

Greg Lestrade said...

...the whole dragon part, because you wouldn't be the sort of hobbit who just stayed in his hole...you'd be out on the moor saving kids, flagging down helicopters, all that...

John H. D. Watson said...

It turned out all right for Bilbo, despite the dragon...

Greg Lestrade said...

I can't really remember the end, I mean, I know it ended well, but...can't really recall the story. You've essentially exhausted my knowledge with two names...

John H. D. Watson said...

Well...he didn't get engaged to a dashing DI, but all the same, he had a pretty good life and Smaug didn't eat him.

RR - thanks.

Greg Lestrade said...

Don't suppose they need DIs with dragons and wizards and stuff.

John H. D. Watson said...

You could be a guard in Minas Tirith...

Greg Lestrade said...

...I have no idea what that means.

John H. D. Watson said...

Ha. Don't worry about, just my misspent youth showing.

Greg Lestrade said...

You can show me some more of your misspent youth, if you'd like?

John H. D. Watson said...

I'm not sure you're prepared for how much of a dork I was.

Greg Lestrade said...

welll..come to bed and let me demonstrate how I would have liked to misspend my youth, if I hadn't lived in the arse end of nowhere...

John H. D. Watson said...

That sounds like more fun.

Greg Lestrade said...

only if you're headache's a bit better.

I'll give you a massage. I can't imagine many people who can go a full day with Sherlock and not need unwinding at the end of it.

John H. D. Watson said...

It's usually all right, but...yeah. massage would be nice, thanks

Anonymous said...

thank you John

John H. D. Watson said...

You're welcome? Er, for what?

Piplover said...

I think they were thanking you for your service. And I'll add my thanks, as well.

John H. D. Watson said...

...Oh. Wasn't expecting that.

Thank you.

REReader said...

Yes, thank you, John.

Kholly said...

Me too. Thank you John. And DW and Pip, yes?

REReader said...

And DW and Pip, yes?

Yes! Most sincere thanks to all those who have served.

Greg Lestrade said...

Yes, thank you to all who serve.

I love you, John Watson.

Anonymous said...

I did some military service, but I never feel like a "veteran" because it was all peacetime, and part time, and that's not the same at all. Thank you, John, and DW and Pip, and whoever else is out there for going the extra mile.

rsf

REReader said...

It counts, rsf. You had no idea whether it would stay peacetime when you signed up, and intention matters.

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