The Perils of Death

[heslopian]

"'Nobody looks at a chauffeur the way they look at a person.'" - Agatha Christie, Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

As a child I only read mystery books.
The classic kind written by the upper classes,
well-bred wives and academics
who passed the time on rainy days
devising puzzle narratives. The scholar's wordsearch.

Death never seemed so brittle
as when it took place during afternoon tea,
beneath a perfect summer sky while the cricketers
took up their stumps and walked home,
the sound of the church bells spurring them on.

All you needed to know about a person
they told you through the clothes they wore.
The images of decadence forming a constellation with
intellect and soul. If someone tells you
the butler did it don't believe them.

The butler wouldn't be clever enough. Nor would
the nanny, the groundskeeper, or anyone
raised to bow and scrape. Looking back
through the lens of new attitudes,
I scorn such snobbery. I am more sophisticated.

These stories which care nothing for human insight
should be locked away by now, with my train set
and my teddy bear. But still they transcend my liberal's mind.
How great to react to the perils of death not with fear
but discontent, as you wonder what the neighbours will think.

[billy]

"'Nobody looks at a chauffeur the way they look at a person.'" - Agatha Christie, Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

As a child I only read mystery books.
The classic kind written by the upper classes,
well-bred wives and academics
who passed the time on rainy days
devising puzzle narratives. The scholar's wordsearch.

Death never seemed so brittle exceptional line
as when it took place during afternoon tea,
beneath a perfect summer sky while the cricketers
took up their stumps and walked home,
the sound of the church bells spurring them on. i love this scene

All you needed to know about a person
they told you through the clothes they wore. would 'were' be better than the 1st 'they'
The images of decadence forming a constellation with
intellect and soul. If someone tells you
the butler did it, in every novel, don't believe them. 'in every novel',would that ever happen? is it needed?

The butler wouldn't be clever enough. Nor would
the nanny, the groundskeeper, or anyone
raised to bow and scrape. Looking back
through the lens of new attitudes, another good line
I scorn such snobbery. I am more sophisticated. i love the irony of this line. great verse, superb

These stories which care nothing for human insight
should be locked away by now, with my train set is by now needed?
and my teddy bear. But still they transcend my liberal's mind.
How great to react to the perils of death not with fear
but discontent, as you wonder what the neighbours will think. great ending

i only had a couple of nits on what is for me a great little poem.
i never got into the agatha syndrome though i did watch a few on the tv.
i can hear the leather hit the bat as the vicar dies from a dose of deadly nightshade.

such a lot to like about this light hearted take on the well educated novelist.
thanks for the read

[heslopian]

Christie was my Shakespeare when I was thirteen
Thanks for the kind words and feedback Billy, though I'm not sure what you mean by this: "'in every novel',would that ever happen? is it needed?" Do you mean happen every time? In all the classic murder mysteries from England I've read the butler didn't do it once, though in America it was much more common for some reason. If you type "the butler did it" into wikipedia it will take you to the page of Mary Roberts Rinehart, a writer called "the American Agatha Christie" who's considered to have coined the phrase.
Thanks again for your comment.

[billy]

the butler did it, in every novel, don't believe them.


'in every novel',would that ever happen? is it needed?

basically i'm asking is 'in every novel' redundant? if it said in any novel then it works for me but as it is it just throws me off a little

[heslopian]

Ah I see. What about just "every time"? Would that work?

[addy]

"'Nobody looks at a chauffeur the way they look at a person.'" - Agatha Christie, Why Didn't They Ask Evans?

As a child I only read mystery books.
The classic kind written by the upper classes,
well-bred wives and academics
who passed the time on rainy days
devising puzzle narratives. The scholar's wordsearch.

Death never seemed so brittle
as when it took place during afternoon tea,
beneath a perfect summer sky while the cricketers
took up their stumps and walked home,
the sound of the church bells spurring them on. This stanza is perfect. Excellent summation and moodsetter

All you needed to know about a person
they told you through the clothes they wore.
The images of decadence forming a constellation with
intellect and soul. If someone tells you
the butler did it, in every novel, don't believe them.

The butler wouldn't be clever enough. Nor would
the nanny, the groundskeeper, or anyone
raised to bow and scrape. I seriously love how much personal insight you inject in your works Looking back
through the lens of new attitudes,
I scorn such snobbery. I am more sophisticated. Ha. Excellent double-edge

These stories which care nothing for human insight
should be locked away by now, with my train set
and my teddy bear. But still they transcend my liberal's mind.
How great to react to the perils of death not with fear
but discontent, as you wonder what the neighbours will think. Again, a perfect summation of the stiff-lipped, jaunty appeal of the genre

Sharply incisive but with a lighthearted wit. This was a nice read Jack. I always do enjoy reading about your perspective on things

[heslopian]

Thanks very much for the kind words Addy

[billy]

Ah I see. What about just "every time"? Would that work?

i think for me it would be the same.

for me just saying;
intellect and soul. If someone tells you
the butler did it, don't believe them.

works best but that said you are the sculptor who welds the chisel
and its only a nit for me.

i still enjoyed the poem a lot as it is. jmo

[heslopian]

Hm. I think the line looks punchier with that edit you made. Thanks Bilbo.