[Sundae]

Well now, guess who replaced her Dragon Book of Verse (which went to the charity shop in a pre-move clearout because Mum thought it was just an old schoolbook - which it was, but one I read fortnightly)

I'll give you a clue. It was someone posting right now in this thread.

I've referenced Timothy Winters before, but searching suggests I've never shared the poem.
It has an easily accessible and consistent rhythm and rhyme scheme, unlike much of the blank verse I often post. Which may be why it comes to mind quite frequently. Then again, I'm a bugger for quotes of any kind, even from sitcoms.

Timothy Winters

Timothy Winters comes to school
With eyes as wide as a football-pool,
Ears like bombs and teeth like splinters:
A blitz of a boy is Timothy Winters.

His belly is white, his neck is dark,
And his hair is an exclamation-mark.
His clothes are enough to scare a crow
And through his britches the blue winds blow.

When teacher talks he won't hear a word
And he shoots down dead the arithmetic bird,
He licks the pattern off his plate
And he's not even heard of the Welfare State.

Timothy Winters has bloody feet
And he lives in a house on Suez Street,
He sleeps in a sack on the kitchen floor
And they say there aren't boys like him anymore.

Old Man Winters likes his beer
And his missus ran off with a bombardier,
Grandma sits in the grate with a gin
And Timothy's dosed with an aspirin.

The Welfare Worker lies awake
But the law's as tricky as a ten-foot snake,
So Timothy Winters drinks his cup
And slowly goes on growing up.

At Morning Prayers the Master helves
For children less fortunate than ourselves,
And the loudest response in the room is when
Timothy Winters roars "Amen!"

So come one angel, come on ten:
Timothy Winters says "Amen
Amen amen amen amen."
Timothy Winters, Lord.
Amen.


Charles Causley