hysterical.

[lunar-endeavor.livejournal.com]

I'm having to study Eliot's The Waste Land at the moment, and while I love the poem, I also love this shameless irreverence.

-------

Wendy Cope
Waste Land Limericks

I

In April one seldom feels cheerful;
Dry stones, sun and dust make me fearful;
Clairvoyantes distress me,
Commuters depress me---
Met Stetson and gave him an earful.

II

She sat on a mighty fine chair,
Sparks flew as she tidied her hair;
She asks many questions,
I make few suggestions---
Bad as Albert and Lil---what a pair!

III

The Thames runs, bones rattle, rats creep;
Tiresias fancies a peep---
A typist is laid,
A record is played---
Wei la la. After this it gets deep.

IV

A Phoenician called Phlebas forgot
About birds and his business---the lot,
Which is no surprise,
Since he'd met his demise
And been left in the ocean to rot.

V

No water. Dry rocks and dry throats,
Then thunder, a shower of quotes
From the Sanskrit and Dante.
Da. Damyata. Shantih.
I hope you'll make sense of the notes.

Comments

[pyralid.livejournal.com]

Hahaha...I love it! The Wasteland is a wonderful poem...but, as with all good yet deeply serious things, it can stand up against some humor. :o) This was good fun.

[eviefencer.livejournal.com]

nice. i definitely appreciated that.

elliot's great, but so is some humor :)

[syntheticmuse.livejournal.com]

that is truly beautiful. :-) s.

[moireach.livejournal.com]

Ha! I've spent the last two years elbow deep in the Waste Land and this is *priceless*. Thank you!

[farpavilions.livejournal.com]

empathies. i'm trying to work out a dissertation on eliot and it's ironic how appropriate this is:

On Margate Sands
I can connect
Nothing with nothing.

:p

[darthmaus.livejournal.com]

*giggle* Love Eliot -- love laughing too. Best of both worlds ;-)