A poem inspired by the Noel Coward number 'Don't Put Your Daughter On The Stage Mrs Worthington' rather than Shakey. Although penned some time ago, it seems particularly apt in the current economic climate. Stagecraft
Don't put your daughter on life's stage Mrs Worthington
Nor your son if he can't act
And lie after the fact
Seem to be obedient
Flexible, expedient
Playing all of the parts
Employing all of the arts
For the whole world is a stage Mrs Worthington
And we but two-bit players
Only doers, one-line sayers
And they who steal the show
Will be regretfully 'let go'
There will be no revival
For those who overlook survival
And fail the spot the machinery
Shifting the scenery
As they faithfully stick to the original script
No don't put your offspring on life's stage Mrs Worthington
They'll come to a bad end
If they can't make West End
And their run will be short
And unendingly fraught
With the fear of being written out
Or never written in
© LS King
7 comments:
Ah yes, the noble Coward. What prescient lyrics. I hadn't heard/read them in years.
Of course he was the writer of "Mad Dogs and Englishmen" too, and there are certainly enough of those around these days to confirm his seerage!
XO
WWW
I detect a faint pre-echo of Larkin here... This be the verse, perhaps?
OH the fear of never being written in is a cruel taskmaster.
I am all for living vicariously through my children because they are far nicer Human Beings than I am.
Stagemother Schmagemother!
pc;
I now understand the importance of your little "c".
Ah Mrs Worthington... you'd be better off pulling pints...!
I thought you were talking about Shakin' Stevens then and was racking my brain trying to remember his hit "All the world's a stage" but could only remember "Green Door". Silly me! I've clearly not had enough coffee yet this morning.
Reluctant Blogger exits stage left to make a coffee
Your poem makes me think, even more seriously, of how i will allocate my retirement money on the various nest of investment funds. Very relevant poem indeed. Thanks for sharing.
WWW - Coward was an adroit wordsmith indeed - unwise of me to attempt a warped cover version of his genius probably!
Thanks Dotteral - I shall take that as a huge compliment - I think!
Donn Coppens - the fear of never being written in gives me 50 lashes every day. I haven't felt the need to create or own any children yet though - can't work out if that's selfish or unselfish of me. It seems a moot point these days.
Steve - I do hope not!
RB - I know it's sacrilege to reduce our great bard to Shakey, it's probably my revenge for being subjected to so many of his plays in various versions by actors in dirty jeans on minimal sets by my ex.
Wandering Jay - well I guess you can't go far wrong sprinkling your investments across the smorgasbord of renewable energies (though it might be a little long-term for big returns just yet)
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