Brain Freeze and All That

   During the debate the other night Rick Perry suffered what speakers everywhere dread - brain freeze.  It can come in different forms. Migraine sufferers sometimes lose the ability to read the printed word for a brief time, or can't put two words together. I have had that happen myself. Of course, if you want to be President of the United States, that could prove disastrous in a time of crisis. There are, however, medications to prevent migraines these days.  Another type of brain freeze is Global Transient Amnesia. I had that happen to me once when I received an award, quite unexpectedly, and I was totally overwhelmed. I had to excuse myself after a less than gracious "thank you," because my mind went completely blank. I couldn't think AT ALL. Not even a word would form. I sat in another room for a full fifteen minutes while my brain cells woke up!

While reading one of my favorite poetry books this morning, trying to catch a little relaxation, I came across a poem that just suited.  To combat the freeze, this subject's brain tossed into the air everything it had learned.

                              ******************************************
AN OVERWORKED ELOCUTIONIST

Once there was a little boy whose name was Robert Reese;
And every Friday afternoon he had to speak a piece.
So many poems thus he learned, that soon he had a store
Of recitations in his head and still kept learning more.

And now this is what happened: he was called upon one week
And totally forgot the piece he was about to speak.
His brain he cudgeled. Not a word remained within his head!
And so he spoke at random, and this is what he said:

"My beautiful, my beautiful, who standest proudly by,
It was the schooner Hesperus - the breaking waves dashed high!
Why is this Forum crowded? What means this stir in Rome?
Under a spreading chestnut tree, there is no place like home!

When freedom from her mountain height cried, 'Twinkle, little star,'
Shoot if you must this old gray head, King Henry of Navarre!
Roll on, thou deep and dark blue castled crag of Drachenfels,
My name is Norval, on the Grampian Hills, ring out, wild bells!

If you're waking, call me early, to be or not to be,
The curfew must not ring tonight! Oh, woodman, spare that tree!
Charge, Chester, charge! On, Stanley, on! and let who will be clever!
The boy stood on the burning deck, but I go on forever!"

His elocution was superb, his voice and gestures fine;
his schoolmates all applauded as he finished the last line.
"I see it doesn't matter," Robert thought, "what words I say,
So long as I declaim with oratorical display."

        by Carolyn Wells

                                   *****************************************
Now if readers of this poem never had the opportunity in school to learn any of the lines herein, it might not be as humorous, and that's too bad. Memorization of poetry has long been neglected, and the store of verses that was once an educational imperative, has become sorely depleted.

Anyway, perhaps Perry had over prepared for the debate and too much was jumbled up in his brain. Too bad he didn't have a back-up like little Robert.

11/12/11