Sherlock poetry

[biscuitbear]

I thought I would start a new topic to share the little gems I come across.

 

To start with, this was written by E. B. Kellett after the publication of The Final Problem (as published in the London Spectator in 1933) :

 

"Toll for the brave

That was so strong and hearty

Who tumbled in the wave

Along with Moriarty

Ah, never shall we learn

The tale of that man's life

Who took out his false teeth

And threw them at his wife

"Let scoundrels all rejoice

Throughout our mourning land

For Sherlock Holmes is gone

Gone to a better Strand"

 

And of course, the famous poem "221 B" by Vincent Starrett, which does have a link to BBC Sherlock (1895) :

 

Here dwell together still two men of note

Who never lived and so can never die:

How very near they seem, yet how remote

That age before the world went all awry.

But still the game's afoot for those with ears

Attuned to catch the distant view-halloo:

England is England yet, for all our fears—

Only those things the heart believes are true.

 

A yellow fog swirls past the window-pane

As night descends upon this fabled street:

A lonely hansom splashes through the rain,

The ghostly gas lamps fail at twenty feet.

Here, though the world explode, these two survive,

And it is always eighteen ninety-five.

 

A long evening with Holmes, by BSI member William P. Scheikert :

 

When the world closes in with its worries and cares

And my problems and headaches are coming in pairs

I just climb in my mind those seventeen stairs

And spend a long evening with Holmes.

 

The good Doctor greets me and motions me in

Holmes grasps my hand and lays down his violin

Then we sit by the fire and sip a tall gin

When I spend a long evening with Holmes.

 

And while we're discussing his cases galore

If I'm lucky there comes a loud knock on the door

In stumbles a client, head splattered with gore

When I spend a long evening with Holmes.

 

Watson binds up the client's poor face

While Holmes soon extracts all the facts of the case

Then off in a hansom to Brixton we race

When I spend a long evening with Holmes.

 

The Adventure is solved, Holmes makes it all right

So back to the lodgings by dawn's early light

And a breakfast by Hudson to wind up the night

When I spend a long evening with Holmes.

 

So the modern rat race can't keep me in a cage

I have a passport to a far better age

As close as my bookcase, as near as a page

I can spend a long evening with Holmes.

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Thank you for sharing those, biscuitbear. Simply beautiful.

[Carol the Dabbler]

The first one strikes me as a bit tongue in cheek (at least I think it reads better that way), the second (as Fox says) is beautiful ("Only those things the heart believes are true."), and the third one's a rollicking song!

[biscuitbear]

The Old Tin Box by Jay Finley Christ (1946)

 

In the vaults of Cox was an old tin box

With Watson's name on its lid.

What wouldn't we pay for that box today

And the secret notes there hid?

 

Old Russian dame, Ricoletti the lame.

The famous aluminum crutch;

For Alicia, the cutter, the parsley in butter,

What would you give for such?

 

Story of Randall, the Darlington scandal,

The coptic patriarchs.

The opal tiara, the Addleton barrow --

Dollars? or francs? or marks?

 

The tale of the pinch of Victor Lynch,

The furniture warehouse mob,

The case at the Hague, the murder at Prague

The powderless Margate job.

 

The giant rat, the cardinal's hat,

The Patersons (first name Grice),

The cormorant's bill, the Hammorford will --

We'd take 'em at any price.

 

The Phillimore fella who sought an umbrella,

The steamer Friesland (Dutch);

For Col. Carruthers or Atkinson brothers

One never could give too much.

 

The Vatican case and its cameo face,

The slithering, unknown worm,

The Abergavenny were none too many --

Where is this Cox's firm?

 

Oh, wonderful box in the vaults of Cox!

You come with a touch of salt!

But I offer two blocks of the choicest stocks

For the treasure of Cox's vault.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh my heavens, that's wonderful! Being much more familiar with Sherlock than with the canon, I recognize only a handful of the references:

 

The famous aluminum crutch

The giant rat, the cardinal's hat

The Phillimore fella who sought an umbrella

The Vatican case and its cameo face

... but that's pretty clearly a list of all the cases that Watson merely hinted at. I never realized that Sherlock's much-touted "aluminium crutch" was one of those -- which story was that mentioned in?

 

It would appear that Jay Finley Christ is an American, by the way. For example, I don't believe that "aluminum crutch" is just a typo -- "aluminium" would not fit the meter nearly as well. (And now biscuitbear is going to tell us that her spellcheck changed it!)

[biscuitbear]

I don't have the original text, but it seems to be "aluminum" and he was an American. The reference is in the Musgrave Ritual :

 

They are not all successes, Watson," said he, "but there are some pretty little problems among them. Here's the record of the Tarleton murders, and the case of Vamberry, the wine merchant, and the adventure of the old Russian woman, and the singular affair of the aluminium crutch, as well as a full account of Ricoletti of the club foot and his abominable wife."

 

Among the untold tales, my favorite is "the dreadful business of the Abernetty family".

 

"The affair seems absurdly trifling, and yet I dare call nothing trivial when I reflect that some of my most classic cases have had the least promising commencement. You will remember, Watson, how the dreadful business of the Abernetty family was first brought to my notice by the depth which the parsley had sunk into the butter upon a hot day."

(from The six Napoleons)

[Carol the Dabbler]

Ah, I stand corrected -- Holmes merely hinted at them.

 

Thanks, Helene!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

So many cases that could inspire some Sherlock episodes......hopehopehope?

[Carol the Dabbler]

Seeing as how they already covered James Phillimore and his umbrella in "A Study in Pink," there does seem to be some cause for hope!

[SolitaryCyclist]

Wonderful verse, Helene; they are all so much fun, and by jove, they all rhyme!

 

Some of the 'hinted at' stories are covered in a book by ACD's son, Adrian Conan Doyle, and John Dickson Carr. Entitled "The Exploits of Sherlock Holmes." There are twelve adventures, all aluded to in the canon, and most of them are pretty good. Very much in the style of the originals. Sadly, not one of them mentions The Giant Rat of Sumatra

[Carol the Dabbler]

Some of the 'hinted at' stories are covered in a book by ACD's son.... Sadly, not one of them mentions The Giant Rat of Sumatra.

That oversight may soon be rectified! (Or not.)

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

Will be interesting how Moffat and Gatiss covers this.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Yes, will be interesting to see what they mean by "rat."

 

 

Self-referential, perhaps?

[aely]

There's someone on livejournal who has done BBC Sherlock related verse in the styles of various people.

 

This is Carroll's Great Game there are some definitions and commentary of the words used on the journal.

 

The shallog spell when boredom looms

’Snot lessened by dull dimpid coves.

Beheaded subject in the nooms

Inadequately shroves.

 

"But now a case commences, John!

With bombs affixed to victims snatched!

Ingenious puzzles just for me!"

The frumious Cumberbatch.

 

I take my Strad in hand to rile

The lardmin who inchuffles cake,

Dismissively rebuff in style;

I’ve glebious plans to make.

 

While addabatly stopping crimes,

I disregard extraneous grief;

Ferriatant Jim with clubber’s eyes

Commands my thoughts in chief.

 

Misunderstanding, John departs

While Jim skurdankles at the pool.

He’s kidnapped John! He’ll shoot us both!

I look to John and—

 

If you like that, you might want to look up Tennyson's Study in Pink and Lear's Blind Banker

[Carol the Dabbler]

Ha! I used "frumious Cumberbatch" first! (Well, actually nth, more'n likely.) And my name really is Carroll -- er -- Carol. But I will admit I didn't exactly finish writing the poem.

 

Anyhow -- delightful!

[Bakerstreet Irregular]

This is witty and fun and somebody sure has studied the classics for these.

[SolitaryCyclist]

Carroll's Great Game is awesome! Let the poetry roll on like a river!

[itslikelectiveamnesia]

 

221B

 

Here dwell together still two men of note

Who never lived and so can never die:

How very near they seem, yet how remote

That age before the world went all awry.

But still the game’s afoot for those with ears

Attuned to catch the distant view-halloo:

England is England yet, for all our fears–

Only those things the heart believes are true.

 

A yellow fog swirls past the window-pane

As night descends upon this fabled street:

A lonely hansom splashes through the rain,

The ghostly gas lamps fail at twenty feet.

Here, though the world explode, these two survive,

And it is always eighteen ninety-five.

 

Vincent Starrett

[CSIBakerStreet]

And there's always the one I wrote for John, even though it's not famous... If I told you I was sorry…

 

If I told you I was sorry, would you believe me?

Even though you’re my friend, I don’t think you would.

If I told you I was sorry, you wouldn’t even listen.

You’d just block it out because you think I wouldn’t mean it.

If I told you I was sorry, would you tell me that I’m lying?

That I’m making it up just to get you to come back?

If I told you I was sorry, there’s no way you’d think I’m serious.

It just can’t come in your mind that I am telling the truth.

 

If I told you I was sorry, you’d just keep on walking.

Trying to get away because you’d think it isn’t true.

If I told you I was sorry, you would never forgive me.

Of everything I‘ve done this is the thing that is the worst.

If I told you I was sorry, you’d say “Oh, that’s funny.”

You cannot even fathom that I really am.

If I told you I was sorry, you’d run off and leave me.

Never come back because you don’t know how much I need you.

 

If I told you I was sorry, you wouldn’t know how sorry.

There are not enough words in the dictionary to tell you the true amount.

If I told you I was sorry, I would fail for words.

No words can ever convey the full truth of what I want to say.

If I told you I was sorry, here‘s what you‘d think.

After he says it and I forgive him, he’ll just drop it. It means nothing.

I would tell you that I’m sorry, but you’ll see that I just can’t.

If I told you I was sorry, then I’d lose my only friend.

[cumberholmes]

Thank you!!

[Ruthyone]

Fighting Crime

 

Sherlock Holmes lives in Baker Street,

Number 221b is his retreat,

To find answers using his mind,

Solving murders for mankind.

His partner John Watson shares his flat,

Helping Sherlock with cheery chat,

John's a doctor, he served in war,

Came back injured and insecure.

Together they're brothers fighting crime,

Trudging London roads of grime,

Finding clues the police don't see,

Bringing justice for you and me.

[Carol the Dabbler]

Is that an original piece, Ruthy?  It definitely captures the feeling of the show!

 

[Ruthyone]

Is that an original piece, Ruthy?  It definitely captures the feeling of the show!

 

Thank you Carol :blush2:  it is my own work. Thought  I'd have a go.

[The Rani]

Thank you Carol :blush2:  it is my own work. Thought  I'd have a go.

 

 

I wondered if it was yourself who had written it. I love it, well done 

[Ruthyone]

 

Thank you Carol :blush2:  it is my own work. Thought  I'd have a go.

 

 

I wondered if it was yourself who had written it. I love it, well done 

 

 

Thank you very much Rani   that's very kind of you.