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Submitted by Pleides on 11 May 2008 - 10:38pm.| Updated 13 May 2008 - 1:38am.
Style / Type:
freeform
Winston Churchill’s Black Dog
Is sitting at the front door again.
Winston borrowed him
From Samuel Johnson
Now he’s back barking
at me.
Just begging to be fed,
Whimpering softly, early
In the morning around 3am.
Slinking around all day
From breakfast to dinner.
I will not feed him a crumb.
Tell him to go back to
Merrye Olde England
Where Winston is buried,
But not resting in peace.
Likely turning in his grave,
Thinking of all those young men
He sent to war.
My kind doctor helps, as Samuel’s did,
Understands that black dogs should be kept at a distance.
How to get the black dog to go
Permanently away, that’s my question?
Winston did it with cigars and whisky
But neither of those appeal to me.
Just taking one day at a time
Starving it of thought, might work,
Maybe.
I want the raw truth, feel free to knock me on my back
(2 votes)
Really Good
Smiles:)
Barbara
Very interesting poem. Churchill dead,
you have his dog, which won’t leave so your starve it by not talking to him.
I might be off your theme but really enjoyed reading this.
Might I explain a bit
as you are a bit off my theme, likely my obscurity (yet again!) in the poem, and thank you for reading it.
“Churchill’s Black Dog” was Churchill’s way of describing bouts of depression he experienced. He took the phrase from a letter Samuel Johnson wrote to Mrs Thrale 28th June 1783 in which he described his bouts of “melancholia” as depression was called then.
Hope this explains the poem a bit better and doesn’t spoil your initial enjoyment in reading it.
Pleides
Thanks for sharing
Smiles:)Barbara
Reading was even better now that I know what it is about.I really like the line about starving depression. Hard as can get to starve the black dog. Maybe for sure i see.
Churchhill is a well known name, but I haven’t read anything about him. Glad you posted I learn much here.
I'm on a learning curve too
and thank you for persisting with my attempt to share the nature of the black dog and how to deal with it.
Pleides
wonderful! reminds me of
wonderful! reminds me of some of my own thoughts.
Your kind comments
are very appreciated. Thank you buddy!
Pleides
Great Poem… Wish i would
Great Poem… Wish i would have thought of it… Winston’s dog? And the thoughts you wove….amazing dance. Thank you.
“how to get the black dog to go permanently away”.
~a
Thanks kailashana
glad you enjoyed the poem and your concept of it as a dance….I really like that.
Pleides
The Key
I too was unaware of these facts about Churchill, which hold the key to a full appreciation of the poem. How does one know how much one needs to say? Say too much and the reader doesn’t get the pleasure of putting things together; say too little and the reader misses things altogether. Sorry to have needed things spelled out, but I like it a lot anyway!
With hindsight I should have put a footnote
at the end of the poem. Something to remember in future if my “obscurity” emerges again.
Thanks for reading Rob, glad you enjoyed it and I appreciate your comments.
Pleiades
P.S. GRIN…..see… I’ve figured out how to correct that typo on this one at least.
Loved and Needed the History Lesson
Hi Pleiades.
I have to say that i was struggling - until I followed your explanation,
But what makes it even worse….A NZ has given an Englishman a History
Lesson…..(I blush)
with embracement…..A very fine theme very cleverly
thought through,
Thanks for sharing
Best Regards
Peter
~~~~~~~~~Creativity Is to think more efficiently~~~~~~~~~~
Rest easy
Peter, I am entitled to two passports, one British and one New Zealand, citizen of both countries. Known as an expat in the UK and a POM in New Zealand.
Now you are going to ask me what a POM is aren’t you! ;-)
Thanks for reading and persisting, despite the obscurity of it, next time I’ll do footnotes so people aren’t scared away.
Pleiades
I know what a POM is,
Borrowed by NZ’s from Australian slang, dates back to convict days, newly arrived convicts had P.O.M.E. stamped on their shirts- Prisoner Of Mother England.
I was already familiar with Winston’s black dog, but the way you used it in this is particularly insightful- reminds me of Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, which is one of the more effective weapons in the arsenal against depression. Yeah, I struggle that struggle too.
Thanks for this,
cheers,
Jess
Us Kiwi Poms need to stick together
especially when it comes to scaring away Winston’s Black Dog.
Thanks for reading and glad it touched you.
Pleiades