AA Milne couldn’t escape Pooh Bear
On this day in 1882 the author and journalist AA Milne was born. He found the success of the Pooh Bear stories increasingly annoying, though he could do nothing about it except keep writing.
A hundred years later, the stories, many now in cartoon form, are still a huge hit with children and adults all over the world. Milne started writing them for his child Christopher Robin, using the nursery toys as characters. Though he continued to write other stories and plays, their success was negligible – all that the public wanted from him was nursery talk. Milne died of a stroke in 1956, still regretting that he was not taken more seriously.
Here is part of one of his best known poems – Buckingham Palace:
They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace –
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
Alice is marrying one of the guard.
“A soldier’s life is terrible hard,”
Says Alice.
They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace –
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
We saw a guard in a sentry-box.
“One of the sergeants looks after their socks,”
Says Alice…
…They’re changing guard at Buckingham Palace –
Christopher Robin went down with Alice.
“Do you think the King knows all about me?”
“Sure to, dear, but it’s time for tea,”
Says Alice.
Today, though I am grateful for childish things, I understand that I am an adult and must deal with the real world.