I spent this evening at the Penguin Bloggers’ Night, which I’ll write about properly next week – lovely to see the old guard (as Kim described us on Twitter!) and to meet some new faces – and, of course, to hear the authors read extracts from their forthcoming books. More on’t that soon.
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| The writers mural at Barter Books, Alnwick |
What I’m writing today, instead, is somewhat fanciful… on the train home, I started to craft little poems about authors. Some sincere, but mostly frivolous. I thought you might enjoy reading them – and that, hopefully, they’ll inspire you to follow suit (either in the comments here, or on your own blogs.) Here are the four I made up on the train journey! Do have a go; it’s fun, and makes you feel a bit like you might be Dorothy Parker’s new best friend.
George Eliot; or, Asking for Eliot in a Bookshop
Who’d have guessed, dear Mary Anne,
Your efforts to be thought a man
Would lead, in the next century,
To: “Sorry, sir, T.S. or G.?”
Virginia Woolf
The Angels of the House you slew,
And buried in decorous graves,
Leaving (with arched eyebrow) you:
The common reader who made waves.
Philip Larkin’s Legacy
Oh Larkin, yes, you swore; that’s fine.
But no-one knows the second line.
What’s troublin’ ya?
I am glum; something’s marred me.
Life is hard; I am Hardy.
Oh goodness these are good. I liked the one about Woolf, although… in light of tomorrow's anniversary, that's a very bitter-sweet last line. :l
Thanks so much, Samara!
Oops, yes… I meant it in the 'wrote The Waves' sense, but it definitely could be misinterpreted…
I knew you meant the novel… but her life, death, and works are so intertwined for me. I suppose she was elegantly transparent in her works.
Just think… that if our trains had worked out, we'd have chatted all the way back and thus been deprived of these super ditties!
Ha! Yes, I had to forego one pleasure, but I am rather pleased with the results of the substitute… see you soon, Annabel!
Fun! and clever.
Thanks so much, Harriet! :)
Haha, these are great! I love the Larkin one especially. I like his stuff, but it's so true.
Thank you, Dan, that's really kind of you!
I am one of those people who only know the one line of Larkin… until Karen enlightened me below!
Brilliant!
Thanks v much!
"They may not mean to, but they do" :)))) (I *love* Larkin)
Hahaha! Well, NOW I know the second line ;)
I think they are lovely, Simon. Short, simple, beautiful.
Ok, I wrote one as well. I’ve never done it before, not even in Polish, so please be understanding (there is probably more grammar mistakes than words in my poem). I’ve chosen Szymborska as you wrote about her some time ago.
‘Nobody writes so simple (and beautiful) as you’
Once I said to Szymborska out of the blue.
She looked around, put on her specs:
‘In fact’ she said ‘there is a young man
(Who travels home on the train)
And he will be next’.
Ops! I didn't give my poem a title. As it sounds (to me) like a work of a certain American writer I decide to call it: 'Szymborska in the hat' ;)
That's so beautiful, Agnieszka (and so kind!) – I love it! Thank you so much for contributing it – it has a gentle sort of beauty which reminds me of Szymborska herself.
Seriously, Simon, you must give your every last ounce of effort and find a way to manufacture your delightful joy in life, put it in little bottles and send a crate to me right now! I come to you to be rewarded with a guaranteed smile. Love your poems – am leaning towards giving my full marks to Larkin and Hardy, though they all made me blossom into a smile…
Love your glorious blog.
Jane
Aww, thank you, Jane – that's lovely! I have to say, from your comments here, it sounds as though you've got enthusiasm and loveliness bottled already :)
Loved the Larkin poem.
Sue
That was the one which came to me first, and inspired me to keep thinking :)
Nice! Sadly uninspired on this end, but yours made me smile. Larkin & Hardy, especially!
Thanks so much! I'm delighted they made you smile :)
Simon, you never cease to entertain. Wonderfully clever.
I could only get this far:
On the Self
What the Dickens?
Surely, no slim pickin's!
Aww, thanks Belle, that means a lot :)
And nice Dickens couplet! He certainly doesn't deal in slim pickings!
Love these, especially the Hardy!
Thank you so much, Anbolyn! I thought I'd cracked Hardy with Jude the Obscure, but this couplet is in 'honour' of wading through The Return of the Native…
Ha ha, they're all quite good! Can we have more, please?