Welcome back to the Daily Poem, a podcast from Goldberry Studios. I'm David Kern and today's Thursday, May 25th,

2003. Today's poem is by an English poet named John Bechamon. He was a founding member of the

Victorian Society and a poet laureate and did many great things. But I'm going to let my friend Heidi White

introduced you to him and share one of her favorite poems by him. If you know our podcast,

Close Reads, you will recognize Heidi's voice. You know her well at this point. I think if you are new

to this podcast or you haven't listened to it for a while or you just have never heard Heidi on it,

then this is a great chance for you to hear her talk about poetry. She does a great job reading these poems.

And so with that, I want to turn it over to Heidi. She will be jumping in along with our friend Sean Johnson periodically for me.

So this is a great chance to hear her read a really great poem. So without further ado, here is Heidi White reading John Bechamon.

Today I'm going to read for you a poem by English poet John Bechaman.

He was born in 1906 and lived until 1984.

He was very successful in his lifetime.

And he's known as a comic poet.

But like all great comic poets, his poetry can... He was very successful in his lifetime, and he's known as a comic poet.

But like all great comic poets, his poetry contains much more than comedy. There's also melancholy, irony, satire, and more.

Today's poem is called A Subalterns Love Song.

This is how it goes.

Miss J. Hunter Dunn, Miss J. Hunter Dunn, furnished and burnished by Aldershot's son. What strenuous singles we played after

tea, we in the tournament, you against me. Love 30, love 40, oh, weakness of joy, the speed of a swallow, the grace of a boy.

With carefulest carelessness, gaily you won. I am weak from your loveliness, Joan Hunter Dunn.

Miss Joan Hunter Dunn, Miss Joan Hunter Dunn, how mad I am, sad I am, glad that you won.

The warm-handled racket is back in its press, but my shock-headed Victor, she loves me no less.

...