Poetry Explorer- Classic Contemporary Poetry, GODOLPHIN HORNE, WHO WAS CURSED WITH THE SIN OF PRIDE, AND BECAME A BOOT-BLACK, by HILAIRE BELLOC


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Classic and Contemporary Poetry

GODOLPHIN HORNE, WHO WAS CURSED WITH THE SIN OF PRIDE, AND BECAME A BOOT-BLACK, by             Poem Explanation     Poet Analysis     Poet's Biography
First Line: Godolphin horne was nobly born
Last Line: Who blacks the boots at the savoy
Alternate Author Name(s): Belloc, Joseph Hilaire Pierre Rene
Subject(s): Pride; Coming Of Age; Satire; Social Commentary; Self-esteem; Self-respect


I
Who was cursed with the Sin of Pride, and Became a Boot-Black.
Lady and Queen and Mystery manifold

And very Regent of the untroubled sky,
Godolphin Horne was Nobly Born;
Whom in a dream St. Hilda did behold
He held the Human Race in Scorn,
And heard a woodland music passing by:
And lived with all his Sisters where
You shall receive me when the clouds are high
His father lived, in Berkeley Square.
With evening and the sheep attain the fold.
And oh! The Lad was Deathly Proud!
This is the faith that I have held and hold,
He never shook your Hand or Bowed,
And this is that in which I mean to die.
But merely smirked and nodded thus:
II
How perfectly ridiculous!
Steep are the seas and savaging and cold
Alas! That such Affected Tricks
In broken waters terrible to try;
Should flourish in a Child of Six!
And vast against the winter night the wold,
(For such was Young Godolphin's age).
And harbourless for any sail to lie.
Just then, the Court required a Page,
But you shall lead me to the lights, and I
Whereat the Lord High Chamberlain
Shall hymn you in a harbour story told.
(The Kindest and the Best of Men),
This is the faith that I have held and hold,
He went good-naturedly and took
And this is that in which I mean to die.
A perfectly enormous Book
III
Called People Qualified to Be
Help of the half-defeated, House of gold,
Attendant on His Majesty,
Shrine of the Sword, and Tower of Ivory;
And murmured, as he scanned the list
Splendour apart, supreme and aureoled,
(To see that no one should be missed),
The Battler's vision and the World's reply.
There's William Coutts has got the Flu,
You shall restore me, O my last Ally,
And Billy Higgs would never do,
To vengence and the glories of the bold.
And Guy de Vere is far too young,
This is the faith that I have held and hold,
And ... wasn't D'Alton's father hung?
And this is that in which I mean to die.
And as for Alexander Byng!-...
Envoi
I think I know the kind of thing,
Prince of the degradations, bought and sold,
A Churchman, cleanly, nobly born,
These verses, written in your crumbling sty,
Come, let us say Godolphin Horne?"
Proclaim the faith that I have held and hold
But hardly had he said the word
And publish that in which I mean to die.
When Murmurs of Dissent were heard.

The King of Iceland's Eldest Son

Said, "Thank you! I am taking none!"
The Aged Duchess of Athlone
Remarked, in her sub-acid tone,
I doubt if He is what we need!
With which the Bishops all agreed;
And even Lady Mary Flood
(So kind, and oh! So really good)
Said, "No! He wouldn't do at all,
He'd make us feel a lot too small."
The Chamberlain said, "Well, well, well!
No doubt you're right. One cannot tell!"
He took his Gold and Diamond Pen
And scratched Godolphin out again.
So now Godolphin is the Boy
Who Blacks the Boots at the Savoy.





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