The Political Forum

EPITAPH
John Heath-Stubbs (1918 - )

While not particularly well-known in the United States, John Heath-Stubbs has been a celebrated poet and literary critic in England since he published his first poems in a 1941 wartime volume entitled Eight Oxford Poets. Since that time, he has published numerous popular books of poetry, plays and essays, and has won many literary honors, including the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry. He was educated at Worcester College for the Blind and at Queen's College, Oxford. His eyesight was very poor from the time he was a small child, but until he was in his early 40s, he had sufficient vision to read.

Some of his best known work draws on his scholarly knowledge of ancient Greece, Rome, Alexandria, classic myth, and Christian legend. This has earned him the title of England's foremost mythopoeic poet. Mythopoeic is, by the way, a big word for one who creates or engenders myth. Among his many works in this genre is a celebrated epic poem published in 1972 entitled Artorius, which deals with the Arthurian legend and Anglo-Saxon traditions. In case you are curious, the title refers to one Lucius Artorius Castus, a Roman centurion who some historians believe may have been the historical King Arthur.

I have never read Artorius and, given my age and the number of "must read" books that are piled in up in virtually every corner of the house, I probably never will. (So few books, so little time.) But I have no doubt that I shall continue to enjoy Heath-Stubbs' lighter poetry, such as Epitaph, which appears below. God willing, we'll visit Heath-Stubbs again in these pages next year.

Epitaph

MR. HEATH-STUBBS as you must understand
Came of a gentleman's family out of Staffordshire
Of as good blood as any in England
But he was wall-eyed and his legs too spare.

His elbows and finger-joints could bend more ways than one
And in frosty weather would creak audibly
As to delight his friends he would give demonstration
Which he might have done in public for a small fee.

Amongst the more learned persons of his time
Having had his schooling in the University of Oxford
In Anglo-Saxon Latin ornithology and crime
Yet after four years he was finally not preferred.

Orthodox in beliefs as following the English Church
Barring some heresies he would have for recreation
Yet too often left these sound principles (as I am told) in the lurch
Being troubled with idleness, lechery, pride and dissipation.

In his youth he would compose poems in prose and verse
In a classical romantic manner which was pastoral
To which the best judges of the Age were not averse
And the public also but his profit was not financial.

Now having outlived his friends and most of his reputation
He is content to take his rest under these stones and grass
Not expecting but hoping that the Resurrection
Will not catch him unawares whenever it takes place.

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