The Chief's Gift
Neil McLeod 1947 (Oxford)
The Chief's Gift
Mr. Cowan was the banker at Head Office in the City,
Dame Flora was the patron and the Chief,
I was a Guy's student and the fortunate recipient
Of the Alfred Rycroft Traveling Scholarship.
The message on the board was indicated by the porter
In the East Wing Students' Union at Guy's
It had my name upon it, “Mr. Cowan” and then a number,
That I should call was all I could surmise.
I picked up the receiver, dropped in coins and dialed the number
Upon asking I got through to Cowan straight.
And his lilting voice repined that I “..should come away and find
The Bank of Scotland here in Bishopsgate.”
The 2A bus took London Bridge, I caught it at the station,
Crossed the Thames and rode into the bank,
I thought about what had been said, “A wee something for you!”
And wondered who it was I had to thank.
The edifice was massive, the hall within was lavish
With marble floors and pillars by some stairs,
And a famous oil painting was hanging there between them,
No doubt a gift from some great clients of theirs.
Inquiring at the counter I immediately was prompted
To wait a moment while she made a call,
And it was not long at all, before I heard the fall
Of an escort's steps, to “take me to the ball.”
We went up those stairs into an anti chamber,
“Please wait hear! Mr. Cowan won't be long.”
The door beyond then opened and in strode the banker
With a golden handshake that was firm and strong.
“Dame Flora”, he remarked, “is a client here of ours,
And as to America you are going away.
She wanted you to have a little something for you bag
And a token of esteem, which I convey.
I looked down at my palm and drawing back my arm
Could see the dollars safely in my hand.
“That is how she said to do it.” I was speechless and he knew it,
The gift was given exactly as she planned.
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Submitted by NeilMcLeod on October 09, 2013
Modified on March 05, 2023
- 1:47 min read
- 1 View
Quick analysis:
Scheme | X XXXX ABAB ACXC XDXD XEXE XFFF AGAG XHXH XIXI |
---|---|
Closest metre | Iambic hexameter |
Characters | 1,832 |
Words | 353 |
Stanzas | 10 |
Stanza Lengths | 1, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4, 4 |
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