Wednesday, March 26, 2008

The Calico Cat and the Gingham Dog

The spitball fight between Democratic candidates Clinton and Obama (which has a good many Democrat voters looking to John McCain -- small surprise there) was reminding me of something, it was right on the tip of my mind for over a day -- and then realization struck: Eugene Field's The Duel --

The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'Twas half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t'other had slept a wink!
The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
[...]
The gingham dog went " Bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied "Me-ow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
[...]
Next morning where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole the pair away!
But the truth about the cat and pup
Is this: they ate each other up!


If your childhood reading didn't include this delight, you'll find the entire poem here.

7 comments:

  1. Pennsy here is looking at record numbers of voters switching to the Demo party in time for this primary.

    Word on the fly, in his very conservative area of the state (with 200-300 people a day switching party affiliation) is the goal of making sure BOTH democrat candidates end up going to the convention with equal backing.

    People around here love a good bar room brawl, and should both combatants end up batterered and the bar a shambles.... all the more entertainment.

    This shall be interesting.... watching the democratic party implode in a power struggle....

    ReplyDelete
  2. Eugene Fields wrote "Wynken, Blynken and Nod", which my father read to me at bedtime all these years ago. I remember every word, to this day. Thanks for triggering such a pleasant reverie!

    ReplyDelete
  3. So that's whose book of poetry lurks at the edges of my childhood memory. Thank you!

    Watching Hillary and Obama play Rock 'em, Sock 'em has turned what was otherwise an election year that led me to consider alcoholism as a valid lifestyle choice into one that's been filled with gleeful schadenfreude.

    Of course, I'm sure I'll be depressed again come mid-November, but for now I'm having a glorious time.

    ReplyDelete
  4. "...gleeful schadenfreude..." Yep, that's just it!

    The poems of our childhood are often strongly resonant. I still remember the tattered paperback, long crumbled away now.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Brilliant!

    I confess I've gotten an unhealthy amount of mad giggles over their antics, and I hope their little Mexican Pissing Contest goes right down to the wire. I'm fetching more popcorn - would you like a fresh beer?

    ReplyDelete
  6. No, I'm enjoying the stale one. ;)

    I could not wish two office-seekers more success in destroying one another; it's just a pity more politicians don't pander to their baser impulses.

    ReplyDelete
  7. There's only one way to settle this DNC fracas...

    TTTHHHUUNNNNDDEERRRDOOOOMMMEEE! :)

    ReplyDelete

Comment moderation is enabled. Your comment will not be visible until approved. Arguing or use of insulting or derogatory language will result in your comment going unpublished: no name-calling. Comments I deem excessively partisan will not be published.