Poet Laureate

 

Picture the scene: 

a student, pallid-faced and green 

slumped weakly on the floor, broken bones, injured spleen, 

weary head, straggly hair, 

and just, like, blood going everywhere. 

We wonder worriedly ‘What happened there?’ 

But ‘tis not our question to ask;  

For here comes, to complete his sworn task 

With vibrant cape and protective mask, 

The brave Corpus Poet Laureate;  

Apologising profusely, he’s very sorry it 

Has taken him so long; but he strides to the body, however gory it 

may be (for though it may not strike you 

at first, he is no ordinary bystander like you) 

And whispers into its ear a haiku;  

‘I am the Poet  

Laureate; here is a poem 

To save you… okay?’ 

Truly his poetry is infallible, 

His inventive spirit always willable, 

(Though to make it work he had to add on a couple of extra syllables). 

Instantly, the injured springs up from the floor, 

Rejuvenated fully – and some more, 

And walks straight through a plate glass door. 

The cheers and cries are great and loud, 

The Poet Laureate thanks the crowd, 

And vanishes into the night, having made his college proud. 

 

(If you are a student of Corpus in urgent need of a poem, call me, Adam, the incumbent Corpus Poet Laureate. Plus I also do regular poems for the JCR meetings and run the poetry society, if you’re interested!) 

A catalogue of poems can be found below.