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T.S. Eliot is known for the poetry he made in life. This poetry made him famous and he is now known world-wide for what he has made. Eliot was born in St. Louis, Missouri on September 26, 1888. One of his many inspirations was his mother, Charlotte Champa Stearns, who also was a poet in life. As a young boy, Eliot would publish verse and sketches to his school newspaper. Eliot had wide variety in education, so he went to many good colleges. In 1906, Eliot attended Harard and completed his bachelor degree in 3 years. He loved to write and became editor of the school newspaper, “Harvard Advocate.” While at Harvard, he found one of his influences, Irving Babbitt who wrote anti-romanticism and became a big part in Eliot's poetic life.

In 1915 Eliot moved to England and held editorial positions for different literary magazines. He started publishing his poetic books in 1917. He went into more different types of poetry, but toward the end of his death, he started writing light verse poems. One of Eliot’s famous light verse collection is “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats.” The name Possum coming from a euphemism for Parson, a name applied by critics and a number of Ezra Pound’s Cantos. The poems in the book inspired for the musical, “Cats.”

Edmund Wilson noted that, “his works turned out to be unforgettable poems, which everyone was trying to rewrite.” He won a Nobel prize for literature in 1948 and became known as a great literature critic. Eliot was a chronic smoker and had many health problems such as bronchitis and tachycardia, which lowered his immunity and stamina. He died in January 4, 1965 and was cremated at the Golders Crematorium. His ashes were laid out at St. Michael’s Church in East Coker which is the same place where they immigrated from to America.



﻿Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats

T.S. Eliot knew that most of his poems had a more deep side to them and wanted to change that. Well he did when he wrote "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats." The poetic novel is made to be for the reader to be as if they are in the realm of make believe and where nothing as it seems. Ezra Pound encouraged Eliot to write free verse and have some energy in his poems. In the book, Eliot talks about how a cat's name is very significant. This follows a set of poems that addresses the different cats. It is as if in the poems the cats would be as if they were human. At the final poem it talks about how the cat must be addressed by his or her name. code The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter, It isn't just one of your holiday games; You may think at first I'm as mad as a hatter When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES. First of all, there's the name that the family use daily, Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo or James, Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey-- All of them sensible everyday names. There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter, Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames: Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter-- But all of them sensible everyday names. But I tell you, a cat needs a name that's particular, A name that's peculiar, and more dignified, Else how can he keep up his tail perpendicular, Or spread out his whiskers, or cherish his pride? Of names of this kind, I can give you a quorum, Such as Munkustrap, Quaxo, or Coricopat, Such as Bombalurina, or else Jellylorum- Names that never belong to more than one cat. But above and beyond there's still one name left over, And that is the name that you never will guess; The name that no human research can discover-- But THE CAT HIMSELF KNOWS, and will never confess. When you notice a cat in profound meditation, The reason, I tell you, is always the same: His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name: His ineffable effable Effanineffable Deep and inscrutable singular Name.

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code You've read of several kinds of Cat, And my opinion now is that You should need no interpreter To understand their character. You now have learned enough to see That Cats are much like you and me And other people whom we find Possessed of various types of mind. For some are same and some are mad And some are good and some are bad And some are better, some are worse-- But all may be described in verse. You've seen them both at work and games, And learnt about their proper names, Their habits and their habitat: But how would you ad-dress a Cat?

So first, your memory I'll jog, And say: A CAT IS NOT A DOG.

And you might now and then supply Some caviare, or Strassburg Pie, Some potted grouse, or salmon paste-- He's sure to have his personal taste. (I know a Cat, who makes a habit Of eating nothing else but rabbit, And when he's finished, licks his paws So's not to waste the onion sauce.) A Cat's entitled to expect These evidences of respect. And so in time you reach your aim, And finally call him by his NAME.

So this is this, and that is that: And there's how you AD-DRESS A CAT.

Citations:Murphy, Russell Elliot. "//Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats//."//Critical Companion to T. S. Eliot: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work//, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. //Bloom's Literary Reference Online//. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CCTSE0225&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 2, 2011). Stade, George, and Karen Karbiener, eds. "Eliot, T. S."//Encyclopedia of British Writers, 20th Century//, vol. 2. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2003. //Bloom's Literary Reference Online//. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EBWXX144&SingleRecord=True (accessed May 2, 2011). http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_oSp3Z28aqy8/TSMFemrJLLI/AAAAAAAABqg/VlW9bMpkjB4/s1600/ts+eliot.jpg                                                                                          http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RoMDwnJlBOs/TUwgoLQEShI/AAAAAAAAAF4/xxqCO68r6nw/s1600/TS%2BEliot.jpg code