Oh Cally, it was just great today.
'The Idle Demon' copy I bought, which arrived yesterday, smells all musty and old but it's a terrific book. As Donald recited the poems I hastily found each one in the index so I could follow it (and this was having read it from cover to cover on the train journey to London!)
Here's one from the book that made me laugh:
Plumber-Song at Evening
I heard the plumber calling to his mate
At eventide, when bats were on the wing;
Still was the air, and it was ten past eight -
Thursday it was, but I forget the date -
And O! I heard a plumber sing.
I listened with my finger to my lip,
As burglar strains to hear the fell police;
Sweet came his song, that seemed a golden drip,
'Jug-jug!' he cried, and then again, 'Pip-pip!'
And all the world was peace.
But where his mate? Still, still he silent seemed,
As plumber cried, 'Tu-whoo!' - a silvery tone.
And still the summer world in silence dreamed.
A distant boiler burst, a woman screamed,
And O! I fear his mate had flown.
Long, long ago it seems, and long it is,
Yet still I think I hear that plumber call
At evening, when the leaky faucets fizz,
And Mrs Figgins shrieks at little Liz
Across the garden wall.
Heehee
The great man himself says, 'they are not all meant to be funny'; I love
Ballade of a Non-Starter and
My Heart is like an Onion and
Ballade of a Barbarian and
Genius Defined and
The Survivor... I hope Richard survives to be 100 years old in 2014!