Miniver Cheevy
Miniver Cheevy, child of scorn,
Grew lean while he assailed the seasons;
He wept that he was ever born,
And he had reasons.
Miniver loved the days of old
When swords were bright and steeds were prancing;
The vision of a warrior bold
Would set him dancing.
Miniver sighed for what was not,
And dreamed, and rested from his labors;
He dreamed of Thebes and Camelot,
And Priam's neighbors.
Miniver mourned the ripe renown
That made so many a name so fragrant;
He mourned Romance, now on the town,
And Art, a vagrant.
Miniver loved the Medici,
Albeit he had never seen one;
He would have sinned incessantly
Could he have been one.
Miniver cursed the commonplace
And eyed a khaki suit with loathing;
He missed the mediæval grace
Of iron clothing.
Miniver scorned the gold he sought,
But sore annoyed was he without it;
Miniver thought, and thought, and thought,
And thought about it.
Miniver Cheevy, born too late,
Scratched his head and kept on thinking;
Miniver coughed, and called it fate,
And kept on drinking.
Composition date is unknown - the above date represents the first publication date.The lyrical form of this poem is abab.11. Thebes: Greek city on the Nile. Camelot: the mythical city of King Arthur's court.12. Priam: king of Troy, father of Aeneus (founder of Rome)and killed in the seven years' war with the Greek at Troy.17. Medici: rulers of Renaissance Florence known forboth a love of scholarship and art, and a penchant fora pitiless use of power.22. a khaki suit: a military uniform, coloured yellow-brown.
