Letters (After One’s Name)
II have friends and relations with letters after their name
I have friends and relations
with letters after their name
and some of them achieved
A modicum of fame.
One uncle is a surveyor
whose designation is FRICS;
an expert on structural issues,
he assesses mortar and bricks.
A cousin of mine is a scientist
who prefers to work in a lab
instead of an academic career.
He’s a Master of Science(Cantab).
Another cousin, once-removed,
with whom I have no affinity
and has become a clergyman,
is a Bachelor of Divinity.
My clever niece recently got
a first-class medical degree
and can describe herself,
quite correctly, as an MD.
As far as I am concerned,
I put my card on the table
and have to honestly admit
that I don’t have any label.
I am just an ordinary Mister,
with no designation to affix
to my curriculum vitae
or to my vacuous suffix.
I am philosophical alright
but don’t claim to be a DPhil.
My life is quite uneventful,
in fact, it’s run of the mill.
A few of my friends got an OBE
but not me and yet I might,
though an impossible dream,
one day become a Knight.
© Luigi Pagano 2021
Luigi, there is still time. We will wake up one day and find that you are the poet laureate yet. An extremely well structured poem served up with your usual finesse.
Thanks for your kind words, Bhi. My daughters share your opinion. 🙂
Well written Luigi. I had letters after my name RGN and later MIACHT Registered general nurse, member of the international association of crystal healing therapists) my ex MRC GP. (member of the Royal College of general practitioners) What good did it do? Nothing basically. It is all very admirable but as Sadghuru says, (my fav Holy man) exams only demonstrate an ability to retain and then spew out what you have been fed…not that one is an original thinker. Not to take away from anyone’s achievements but look at how puffed up so many are due to all the ‘letters’when… Read more »
As you rightly say, Alison, a title does not represent the true worth of a person.
To be fair to the UK monarch, the accolades she bestows are based on recommendations
and she cannot be expected to know the sexual deviation of the people she knights.
The same argument can be applied to religious authorities. How many pedophiles have emerged among the so-called pious faithful?
Nice one Luigi; and the closest I got to honorifics was when I was addressed as ‘venerable’, as a Buddhist monk – but that came before; though, I was also the Hon.Secretary for a while on our PCC, until I stormed out, but that was also a prefix.
Hi Dougie. I was the treasurer of our social club but the only way I was described was ‘stingy’ because I refused to spend money unnecessarily. 🙂