{"sf1_id":532545,"sf2_id":"lmX47pzm","title":"Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat","author":"RoiLion","words":584,"posted_at":"2013-04-29T21:56:00.000Z","tags":["Cat","Cute","Poem","Poetry","funny"],"url":"https://fse.anthro.fr/stories/532545-skimbleshanks-the-railway-cat","original_url":"https://sofurry.com/s/lmX47pzm","image_url":"https://cdn.sofurryfiles.com/submissions/thumbnails/b2/ad/b2ad5c21-31d9-4e43-b51b-07317ff5d2c0","description":"I LOVE T. S. Eliot and this is my favorite poem by him. I love it so much I just thought I would share it. Enjoy.","content":"There's a whisper down the line at 11.39  \nWhen the Night Mail's ready to depart,  \nSaying 'Skimble where is Skimble has he gone to hunt the thimble?  \nWe must find him or the train can't start.'  \nAll the guards and all the porters and the stationmaster's daughters  \nThey are searching high and low,  \nSaying 'Skimble where is Skimble for unless he's very nimble  \nThen the Night Mail just can't go.'  \nAt 11.42 then the signal's nearly due  \nAnd the passengers are frantic to a man--  \nThen Skimble will appear and he'll saunter to the rear:  \nHe's been busy in the luggage van!  \nHe gives one flash of his glass-green eyes  \nAnd the signal goes 'All Clear!'  \nAnd we're off at last for the northern part  \nOf the Northern Hemisphere!\n\nYou may say that by and large it is Skimble who's in charge  \nOf the Sleeping Car Express.  \nFrom the driver and the guards to the bagmen playing cards  \nHe will supervise them all, more or less.  \nDown the corridor he paces and examines all the faces  \nOf the travellers in the First and in the Third;  \nHe establishes control by a regular patrol  \nAnd he'd know at once if anything occurred.  \nHe will watch you without winking and he sees what you are thinking  \nAnd it's certain that he doesn't approve  \nOf hilarity and riot, so the folk are very quiet  \nWhen Skimble is about and on them ove.  \nYou can play no pranks with Skimbleshanks!  \nHe's a Cat that cannot be ignored;  \nSo nothing goes wrong on the Northern Mail  \nWhen Skimbleshanks is aboard.\n\nOh it's very pleasant when you have found your little den  \nWith your name written up on the door.  \nAnd the berth is very neat with a newly folded sheet  \nAnd there's not a speck of dust on the floor.  \nThere is every sort of light--you can make it dark or bright;  \nThere's a button that you turn to make a breeze.  \nThere's a funny little basin you're supposed to wash your face in  \nAnd a crank to shut the window if you sneeze.  \nThen the guard looks in politely and will ask you very brightly  \n'do you like your morning tea weak or strong?'  \nBut Skimble's just behind him and was ready to remind him,  \nFor Skimble won't let anything go wrong.  \nAnd when you creep into your cosy berth  \nAnd pull up the counterpane,  \nYou are bound to admit that it's very nice  \nTo know that your won't be bothered by mice--  \nYou can leave all that to the Railway Cat,  \nThe Cat of the Railway Train!\n\nIn the middle of the night he is always fresh and bright;  \nEvery now and then he has a cup of tea  \nWith perhaps a drop of Scotch while he's keeping on the watch,  \nOnly stopping here and there to catch a flea.  \nYou were fast asleep at Crewe and so you never knew  \nThat he was walking up and down the station;  \nYou were sleeping all the while he was busy at Carlisle,  \nWhere he greets the stationmaster with elation.  \nBut you saw him at Dumfries, where he summons the police  \nIf there's anything they ought to know about:  \nwhen you get to Gallowgate there you do not have to wait--  \nFor Skimbleshanks will help you to get out!  \nHe gives you a wave of his long brown tail  \nWhich says: 'I'll see you again!  \nYou'll meet without fail on the Midnight Mail  \nThe Cat of the Railway Train.'\n\n  \n  \n\n"}