THE QUEEN OF WHIMS AND PADDINGTON

He jests at scars that never felt a wound.
romeo and juliet

I DREAMED I SAW THE QUEEN OF WHIMS
FROM RABELAIS BOOK V
SHE WAS ON A PUPPET STAND
BUT THE PUPPETS WERE ALIVE.

I ASKED HER WHERE IT WAS I WAS
I CAME IN FROM LANTERN LAND
SHE SPOKE OF MANY INTERESTING THINGS
IMPOSSIBLE TO UNDERSTAND.

ALSO HER JESTER PADDINGTON SPOKE TO ME
HE SAID THE BOOK WASN'T GOOD
IT HAS NO OVERALL ARCH HE SAID
SOMETHING EVERY GOOD BOOK SHOULD.

I CAN SEE BY YOUR BEAR FEET THAT YOU HAVN’T YET EVOLVED THE ARCH
A BOOK, LIKE A BEAR, DOESN'T NEED AN ARCH SAID I
AND TO SAY WHAT THIS BOOK’S OVERALL ARCH IS
THAT'S SOMETHING THAT I WOULDN'T EVEN TRY.

AT THIS THE QUEEN OF WHIMS STARTED TO CRY
THE QUEEN'S UNUSUAL BEHAVIOR MADE ME ASK WHY
SIR, SHE SAID, I SEE YOU DON’T KNOW THE SAD STORY OF POOR PADDINGTON
AND HERE I QUOTE HER WITHOUT ADDING ON:

LIKE YOU I WAS RAISED ON WINNIE THE POOH
EYORE PIGLET AND CHRISTOPHER ROBIN TOO
MY DAD TOLD ME THAT POOH WAS THE BEST BEAR
AND ALL THE OTHERS WERE IMMITATION FARE.

PADDINGTON WAS A HOMELESS BEAR
(A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM FOR THIS KIND OF BEAR)
HE TRAVELED THE WORLD IN ENDLESS PEREGRINATION
AND WAS FOUND BEDRAGGLED IN PADDINGTON STATION.

BUT NOW AS YOU SEE HE'S BEEN REPAIRED
NEW SHIRT, NEW HAT - HE LOOKS ALRIGHT
AND HE WON'T BOW HIS HAT TO ANYONE ANYMORE
I REPAIRED THE HAT MYSELF AND SEWED IT ON TIGHT.