Welcome to Poetry Friday, today hosted by the talented Carol Varsalona at her blog, Beyond Literacy. Stop by, she is sure to inspire. Thank you, Carol, for hosting. I hope everyone is healthy and getting through the current crisis day by day. My thoughts are with all teachers and health care workers everywhere.
Today I will do a short post about brothers. I grew up with three, all older. I have been thinking this week about my youngest brother, Mike, who for many years, was a stalwart playmate. A year and a half apart, we often played together, climbing trees, and swimming. He passed away over ten years ago and I miss him, but mostly I remember how fun and kind he was.
We were both competitive and my dream was driven to prove I could run faster than Mike. I tried and tried and loved trying. Usually, one of us would pick out a tree in our yard, say “On your mark, get set, go!” and run there and back. He usually won, being wiry and fast. But he didn’t always. At least, in my memory.
BROTHER AND SISTER “I will race you to that tree!’ My brother challenged me. But when I raced him to that tree we tied, and he said, “Gee! How'd you get so quick today? He spied me with a scowl. "Can't you see I'm taller now, and faster? That is how." © Janice Scully 2020
I was curious to find other poems written about brothers. I found a site called Interesting Literature were I found poems written by celebrated poets such as Sappho, Herrick, Keats and more. Many were about war and about the death of a brother and they are all worth reading, and mostly written for adults. But for this post, I will post a poem by Lewis Carroll, of Alice and Wonderland fame. He also was a poet. He was born Charles Lutwidge Dodgson in 1832 and died in 1898.
His poem, Brother and Sister captures the annoyance a brother can have towards his little sister. It’s over the top, but it is, after all, Lewis Carroll.
BROTHER AND SISTER by Lewis Carroll SISTER, Sister, go to bed! Go and rest your weary head." Thus the prudent brother said. "Do you want a battered hide, Or scratches to your face applied?" Thus his sister calm replied. "Sister, do not raise my wrath. I'd make you into mutton broth As easily as kill a moth." The sister raised her beaming eye And looked at him indignantly And sternly answered, "Only try!" Off to the cook he quickly ran. "Dear Cook, please lend a frying-pan To me as quickly as you can." And wherefore should I lend it you?" "The reason, Cook, is plain to view. I wish to make an Irish Stew." "What meat is in that stew to go?" "My sister'll be the contents!" "Oh" "You'll lend the pan to me, Cook?" "No!" Moral: Never stew your sister.
Well, I don’t think my brother ever wanted to stew me. But our days of foot races and swimming in the Delaware had to end. When we became adolescents, he took up wrestling in school. Cars and girlfriends made him scarce, but now I often think about when we were eleven and ten.
Enjoy poetry Friday!
Love hearing about your brother Mike — and your poem made me smile (so affectionate). Had never seen that LC poem before — a stew indeed!
Janice, your poem about your brother brings me back to my childhood days when the neighborhood kids would come over and we would have races to trees. We also wanted to see who could run the fastest. Thank you for your shoutout. I appreciate it and enjoyed your own poem about your brother. Lewis Carroll’s poem was over the top but quite humorous. Thanks for sharing that one, too.
Janice: Thank you so much for these brother poems. I need to look into brother poems also, as I grew up with six brothers, now four remain. Lots of stories, lots of hijinx. It is a rich topic, including the grieving over those we’ve lost. Your poem reminds me of all the times we played hide and seek, with those longer legs almost always beating me to the tree. Anyway, this is a good nudge to me, and I thank you and share your sadness over the brothers we have lost.
Thank you, Karen. It is sad to lose a dear sibling who you have shared so much with from the very beginning. I treasure those memories and it seems more come to me as I do.
Hi Janice, thanks so much for sharing your poem and memories of your brother. Your poem is filled with love and humor–a winning combination to my mind. And Lewis Caroll–I’m not sure how loving it is, but it’s pretty funny! I have 2 younger brothers, so my relationship with them was different–especially with my youngest brother, who I was very protective of. I like thinking about those sibling relationships and reading poetry about them is even better.
Thanks for sharing about your brothers, Janice–I’m glad Mike lives on in your smile and memories! One of my sisters is gravely ill right now, in the ICU, and I enjoyed your lighthearted sibling poem, as all of mine right now are quite heavy.
I’m so sorry to hear that, Laura. I hope thing get better for your sister and your family. Thanks for your response.
Your tribute to your brother is lovely – and one I can relate to, being the youngest of six. I also know the loss of a sibling – such a hard loss it is, but aren’t we lucky to have had them in our lives?