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% On a Well-Loved Vessel
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% Reuben Thomas   22ishth, 24th--26th/1/93
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\documentclass[english]{article}
\usepackage{a4,babel,palatino}
\usepackage[nonotes]{poem}

\pagestyle{empty}


\begin{document}
\begin{poem}
\title{On a Well-Loved Vessel}

\stanza*
I have a case, and it is brief, \\
Ten scores of paper are therein, \\
And as I riffle through each sheaf, \\
That to throw out, and this keep in, \\
I muse upon the sable bag \\
That small minds for a bomb mistook \\
(This innocent whereof I brag \\
Has held no more than pen and book), \\
A servant which has steadfast stood \\
'Gainst whirling wind's tempestuous shock \\
(Well, not quite, but it does more good \\
To over-praise than slight and mock); \\
This \emph{objet cher}, I say, has gained\\
Esteem from friend and foe alike, \\
For when on wet days it has rained \\
My things have all been dry; in like \\
Wise when for classes I've been late \\
Full easy with it I have run; \\
While others tumbled to their fate \\
I sped on, smiling in the sun. \\
Of this Briefcase on which I gaze \\
I say (and here's the paean's end): \\
This is my Friend, in whose sweet praise \\
I all my days could gladly spend. \\

\author{Reuben Thomas}
\poemdate{22ishth, 24th--26th January 1993}
\end{poem}
\begin{notes}
With apologies to the authors of \emph{My Song is Love Unknown} and \emph{St Patrick's Breastplate}.

The briefcase was an eighth birthday present for me to take to St
John's. There are pictures (\texttt{briefcase\[1-6\].jpg}, taken in
September 2004, after which it was put out to be thrown away, but after a while when it hadn’t been I retrieved it and now use it to store paperwork.
\end{notes}
\end{document}
