Poetic Tides Through Time

The Duel

The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'Twas had 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 the fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
           (I wasn't there: I simply state
           What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went "Bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied, "Lee-ow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
         While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place
         Up with its hands before its face,
         For it always dreaded a family row!
           (Now mind; I'm only telling you
           What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh dear! What shall we do?"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
         Employing every tooth and claw
         In the awfullest way you ever saw-
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
           (Don't fancy I exaggerate-
           I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

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 that pair away!
         But the truth about the cat and pup
         Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
           (The old Dutch clock it told me so,
           And that is how I came to know.)

                             Eugene Field [1850-1895]

From: The Home Book of Verse by Burton Egbert Stevenson 1917

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         Day 4 - "The Duel"  is a fun poem composed by Eugene Field ( 1850-1895), who often wrote poems of childhood. I love the imagery that is contained in this poem and one can appreciate how a child's imagination could craft this scene. He is a Midwestern poet who contributed greatly to children's poetry literature: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems-and-poets/poets/detail/eugene-field. This too takes me to childhood and I "hear' my Mom reciting the first line - it was a favorite of hers.