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Poetry

The Weeping Philosopher

by Andrew Belsey

“I fear he will prove the weeping philosopher when he grows old, being so full of unmannerly sadness in his youth.” – Merchant of Venice

Bring on my tears with noble Plato’s work
But I’ll have none of Aristotle’s physic
For though I feel as old as Edmund Burke
On Sunday stroll along the Mall at Chiswick
It’s something like a massive loss of heart
At taking too much notice of poor Schlegel
And due quite clearly to putting Descartes
Before the hoarse and strident tones of Hegel
And really I have been right through the Mill
And seen the light but dimly and but darkly
With lots of help from Locke and Hume – but still
What competition can these offer Berkeley?
But though I read and write and rave and rant
My eyes will dry before I’m done with Kant.