Poems about Brothers

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.

Me, my brother, Mike, and my sister, Barbara.

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!