Page 7 - Poetry-Whimsy

A World of Wit and Whimsy

parkling! Lighthearted! Wickedly witty! If these aren’t terms
you normally associate with Victorian poetry (or Victorians in
S
general), you’re in for a treat—because that’s exactly what
you’re going to find in these pages. I call it a collection for people
who think they don’t like poetry!
And it’s truly amazing how many things Victorians found
funny. In this collection, you’ll discover what sort of odd
establishment lies “next door” to a rather inquisitive neighbor.
You’ll meet the odious baggage smashers (and learn a method of
dealing with them). You’ll discover what a spelling bee was like in
the Old West. You’ll get a look at the perils of becoming a bit too
dedicated to health and exercise (hardly a problem limited to the
Victorian age!)
Indeed, that’s what makes these poems so delightful—the fact
that they are not, for the most part, limited to issues and topics of
the Victorian age. They’re poems for everyone, in every era. Who
hasn’t met the sort of person described in “A Cheerful Spirit,”
“The Backbiter,” or “A Pin”? Anyone who has ever tried to
remember a list of kings and dates will surely enjoy Walter
Robinson’s view of “Spontaneous History.” And all of us,
eventually, will feel a kinship with John Saxe, who bemoans the
fact that he is “growing old.”
The poems in this collection were written by writers who
knew how to speak directly to their readers—and who knew that
their readers were “just folks,” like us. Folks who understand the
horror of spring cleaning, or moving house, or the difficulties in
looking stylish on a tight budget. These verses come from a host
of British and American magazines, and from collections pasted
lovingly into scrapbooks. Where possible, they are presented in
chronological order, but scrapbook clippings often have no date
or attribution.
So go ahead—settle in for a chuckle. Or a guffaw. You have
in your hands a rare collection of wit and whimsy that offers just
the giggle you need when times are tough!

—Moira Allen

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