Mr. Philosopher

Robert Graves 1895 (Wimbledon) – 1985 (Deià)



Old Mr. Philosopher
Comes for Ben and Claire,
An ugly man, a tall man,
With bright-red hair.

The books that he’s written
No one can read.
“In fifty years they’ll understand:
Now there’s no need.

“All that matters now
Is getting the fun.
Come along, Ben and Claire;
Plenty to be done.”

Then old Philosopher,
Wisest man alive,
Plays at Lions and Tigers
Down along the drive—

Gambolling fiercely
Through bushes and grass,
Making monstrous mouths,
Braying like an ass

Twisting buttercups
In his orange hair,
Hopping like a kangaroo,
Growling like a bear.

Right up to tea-time
They frolic there.
“My legs are wingle,”
Says Ben to Claire.

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Submitted on May 13, 2011

Modified on March 05, 2023

33 sec read
30

Quick analysis:

Scheme ABXB CXXX XCBC ADXD EFXF XBXB XBEB
Closest metre Iambic trimeter
Characters 653
Words 113
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4

Robert Graves

Robert von Ranke Graves was an English poet, scholar/translator/writer of antiquity specializing in Classical Greece and Rome, novelist and soldier in World War One. more…

All Robert Graves poems | Robert Graves Books

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