21
Jul
2010
FreeVerse: Mr. Toad
I’ve been reading this book about stories that influenced C.S. Lewis, called Tales Before Narnia. It’s crazy overdue at the library, so I should be giving a proper review of it soon.
In the meantime, I thought I might use it for a few FreeVerse posts.
As you can imagine, the book includes some bits from The Wind in the Willows. I never read that one as a kid, but do remember a claymation movie of it, I think on PBS.
Here is a little song that Mr. Toad makes up for himself. It’s untitled, but I’ve chosen to call it “Mr. Toad.”
Really, I just love the meter.
“Mr. Toad” by Mr. Toad, as written by Kenneth Grahame
The world has held great Heroes,
As history-books have showed,
never a name to go down to fame,
Compared with that of Mr. Toad!
The clever men at Oxford
Know all that there is to be knowed;
But they none of them know one half as much
As intelligent Mr. Toad!
The animals sat in the Ark & cried,
Their tears in torrents flowed;
Who was it said “There’s land ahead”?
Encouraging Mr. Toad!
The Army all saluted
As they marched along the road.
–Was it the King?–or Kitchener?
No; it was Mr. Toad.
The Queen and her Ladies-in-waiting
Sat at the window and sewed.
She cried “Look! who’s that handsome man?”
They answered: “Mr. Toad!”
Related posts:
- FreeVerse: Tegnér’s Drapa This is another poem from Tales Before Narnia (which will be reviewed soon, I promise!). In the introduction to the book, Anderson says: Many...
- FreeVerse: Renascence Last week I posted a very long poem, written by me, when I was 16 for FreeVerse. Today I posting a very long poem written...
Anderson’s also done one Tales Before Tolkien, which does the same thing for J.R.R. Tolkien. Have you seen that one? It’s been out for a few years now, I think.