Careers
Robert Graves
Father is quite the greatest poet
That ever lived anywhere.
You say youre going to write great music
I chose that first: its unfair.
Besides, now I cant be the greatest painter and
do Christ and angels, or lovely pears
and apples and grapes on a green dish,
or storms at sea, or anything lovely,
Because thats been taken by Claire.
Its stupid to be an engine-driver,
And soldiers are horrible men.
I wont be a tailor, I wont be a sailor,
And gardeners taken by Ben.
Its unfair if you say that youll write great
music, you horrid, you unkind (I sim-
ply loathe you, though you are my
sister), you beast, cad, coward, cheat,
bully, liar!
Well? Say whats left for me then!
But we wont go to your ugly music.
(Listen!) Ben will garden and dig,
And Claire will finish her wondrous pictures
All flaming and splendid and big.
And Ill be a perfectly marvellous carpenter,
and Ill make cupboards and benches
and tables and ... and baths, and
nice wooden boxes for studs and
money,
And youll be jealous, you pig!
