When I met the infamous Professor Moriarty
Who said, “come along to my party!”
The great Homes was there
With a big dancing bear.
And Watson danced nude at that party!
When I Met the Infamous Professor Moriarty
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Tag Archives: sherlock holmes
The Case of the Missing Book
“Holmes!” I cried,
I have tried
To deduce who took
My book.
I gave it to a girl, that she might read
And by so doing her mind feed.
She works in a store,
And would, I thought handle it with care,
But, on my return I discovered it was no longer there.
I fear it will be seen no more
And is forever lost somewhere in that store”.
My dear Watson, someone took
Your book,
While it was left lying around
By a shop girl, in a well known store.
I agree you will see it no more.
It is a problem too profound
For the great detective to solve.
Therefore resolve
To neither a borrower nor a lender be,
Else you will see
Another book
Get took
By the light fingered kind.
But quieten your mind
For it was in all likelihood
Taken by one who thought your poetry good!”
The Strand Is Dead, Long Live The Strand!
As a lover of the Sherlock Holmes stories I was interested to learn that The Strand Magazine, in which 56 of Conan Doyle’s Holme’s adventures first appeared has been revived in print and online formats, (http://www.strandmag.com/hist.htm). The revived magazine (The Strand began publishing in the 1890’s and folded in 1950 due to falling circulation figures and lack of finances) aims to continue the original publication’s venerable traditions by publishing the best in crime and other genres.
I wish The Strand well and am considering subscribing to the online edition. I do wonder though how, in a world in which so much fiction is provided free online, a paid for periodical of this nature can survive? Having asked the question I will attempt to answer it.
The growth in free online content has not killed the ebook (indeed the format is thriving. Witness, for example the success of Amazon). Many of my own stories originally appeared on this blog. This has, however not prevented readers from downloading them from Amazon. Perhaps the inclusion of stories on an author’s blog (either as extracts or in their entirety) attracts followers who, in turn will download the author’s work when it becomes available on Amazon or other sites. I am cautiously optimistic in terms of both the Strand and paid writing more generally.
Do Not Distract
As a guide dog owner I am very happy for people to make a fuss of my 4 legged friend, Trigger when he is not working. He is a wonderful dog and deserves to be fussed and played with as all work and no play makes Jack (sorry Trigger) a dull boy.
When working however it is imperative that Trigger and other assistance dogs are not disturbed. Distracting a guide dog can lead to me or another guide dog owner becoming intimately acquainted with a lamp post or the back of a number 7 bus, a fate which I am, you may be surprised to learn somewhat anxious to avoid!
The problem which I and other guide dog owners have is that many people see a cuddly dog and their immediate reaction is to call out to the animal or reach out and stroke it. I have lost count of the number of occasions on which I have politely had to request people not to distract Trigger when working due to the obvious dangers which can flow from doing so. Most people understand my explanation. However a minority either lack (for whatever reason) the ability to comprehend or, quite simply don’t care. One gentleman in my locality always greets Trigger when he is working and will often stroke him. I have explained, until I am blue in the face why he should not do this. However he still persists. What is one to do in such a situation, grin and bare it? Perhaps I should dress Trigger up to resemble the Hound of the Baskervilles. Would that act as a deterrent do you think?!
As I said above, I am very happy for Trigger to receive attention when he is not working. I do, however wish that the gentleman in my area would desist from distracting my (working) guide dog.
K Morris - Poet 