h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi Hull

I am sorry for not being around (yet again). I haven't been on line much recently. My friend out West is seriously ill and I have to keep the phone line open. I might have to go West again soon.

It is National Poetry Month in Canada but nothing vey interesting has come my way apart from some Brazilian tone poems that I can't transcribe!

However, I have found that the following little quatrain has a Nova Scotia connection -

As I was going up the stair
I met a man who wasn't there
He wasn't there again today
I wish, I wish he'd go away.

Did you know that?

Beth

Don't worry about absence Beth . Very understandable. There's more to life than this.

Also, I've been off myself for 3 weeks - a power surge hit my computer thanks to a clumsy plumber who tripped all the fuses and thus destroyed it - one month after the guarantee ran out of course. I was just being cheeky with my 'why are we waiting'.

My book of quotations says the verse - which I know well of course - was written by someone I can't remember now - I'll get back to you!

Hull

O Highly Wondrous Beth,

It was Hughes Mearns - 'lines written for the Psycho-ed, an amateur play' 1910. No idea about the link to Nova Scotia though. I'll post further on the Vogon Poetry Game thread, I think, see if it's still alive!

Take care,


Hull

Another Link to the Hugh Mearns Poem. During the US Presidential Primaries ten years ago a political Columnist showed Bush Senior in a star well and there lounging at ease was a little man running a third party ticket H. Ross Perot.
This gave new meaning to the words "he wasn't there again today. I wish I wish he'd go away." Well Perot lost the race to Bush and eventually he went away.