Pater Familias

Theories, observations, and articles, by Philip Schaefer · All posts · Categories

“THE BOOK OF MY ENEMY HAS BEEN REMAINDERED.”

June 12, 2010 at 6:29 PM · Literature

“THE BOOK OF MY ENEMY HAS BEEN REMAINDERED.” I praise light verse in part because I like it. I also believer that important truths can be told through comedy—Shakespeare and Chaucer, Alan Ayckbourn and Oscar Wilde. Clive James’s poem, “The Book of my Enemy Has Been Remaindered”, is a favorite of mine, and it says important things about the human heart. The last lines:
“Chill the champagne and polish the crystal goblets!
The book of my enemy has been remaindered
And I am glad.”