Last night as I was trolling through the 1895 microfilm of The Chipley Banner, I discovered that Emmett’s brother, the Hon. Cephas L. Wilson, Esq., had not only a legal license, but a poetic license.

Truth.

Chipley vs. Call, a poem by the Hon. Cephas L. Wilson, Esq. Originally composed in 1890. It does sort-of fit the tune to “Turkey in the Straw.” Source: The Chipley Banner, 1895

Here’s more info about the poem from the same issue:

I’m curious why Ceph’s poem was not published in 1890, when it was fresh from the Bard’s pen. Source: The Chipley Banner, 1895.

I wonder why Ceph’s oeuvre was held back five years — perhaps the editor was waiting for Ceph to gain a little more prominence so that his verses would hit their target with more significance?

Perhaps Wilkinson Call was wanting a “Battle of the Political Poets” to held in the weekly newspapers, since Calliope was now whispering in the ears of both men? I haven’t found any poetic responses published by Call just yet.

Good poetry is hard to write. Also, not everyone can relate to poetry as it is often intended. I’m curious why Cephas resorted to poetry to criticize a political foe. I applaud Ceph’s effort, but he could have made a better impression with a more serious op/ed piece. Cephas makes several damaging claims against Call in the poem. Personally, I would take those claims more seriously if they were presented in a more formal style.

You know, Cephas long had images of grandeur and prominence. Cephas may not have considered himself a poet, as his typical written product included writs, torts, and subpoenas. It would be a stretch to classify a legal opinion as poetic free verse.

Come ye single ladies and listen to my lays, I’m Cephas the Bard, the loosener of stays.

Still, Ceph had an ego the size of the Florida governor’s mansion. I wonder if, as he penned this verse, he considered himself the next Bard of Marianna.

Perhaps, he thought, as he worked diligently on the rhyme and meter, there’s a market out there for this! Perhaps, he thought, this was the beginning of his career as a true Renaissance man! He could imagine himself in tights (the ladies would like that), his poetry set to music, as he wandered about the Marianna town square on Saturday nights, offering culture to the masses, as only Cephas could do.

Perhaps Cephas asked Lula if she thought his poem was ballad-worthy. Might his dear Lula, his musically talented wife, do him the honor of setting his words to music?

And Lula probably said, “Yeah, I can see this being sung to the tune of ‘Turkey in the Straw.’ You being the turkey, of course.”

I don’t know about you, but I run hot and cold with poetry: I either like it or I don’t. I have two favorite poets: Rainer Maria Rilke and Miller Williams.

Clearly, Ceph is no Rilke or Williams. But as I critique Ceph’s poetic effort, I am reminded of a quote from Williams:

“Have compassion for everyone you meet, even if they don’t want it. What seems conceit, bad manners, or cynicism is always a sign of things no ears have heard, no eyes have seen. You do not know what wars are going on down there where the spirit meets the bone.”

There’s a good story behind why Ceph went after Call via a poem. I’d love to discover it. If and when I do, you can be sure I’ll share it here.

Categories: Book Congressman Family Interesting & Odd

Tagged as: Calliope Cephas Love Wilson Miller Williams Rainer Maria Rilke Team Lula The Chipley Banner Turkey in the Straw Wilkinson Call

jsmith532

Professor,
Communication, Arts, and the Humanities
The University of Maryland Global Campus