- Mr. Pruitt: Today, we are going to begin a two-week discussion of a very special subject: poetry!
- [the class groans with disinterest]
- Mr. Pruitt: Imagination is the soul of poetry, according to Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Coleridge wrote "The Rime of the Ancient Mariner", which we'll study in this class. It includes the famous line:
- [with great feeling]
- Mr. Pruitt: "Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink." Any questions?
- [David raises his hand]
- Mr. Pruitt: David.
- David Barnes: Can I get a drink of water?
- Mr. Pruitt: [the class laughs] There. You see? Coleridge described thirst in such a way that made David thirsty.
- Valvert: [to Cyrano with a laugh] Excuse me, dog-face, but your nose is rather large.
- Wishbone: [as Cyrano, mocking him] My nose is rather large? "Rather large," you say? Is that the best you can do? Ha ha ha ha! I do not need my sword to teach you a lesson; I have words! Let me teach you how to insult my nose, monsieur. You could have said, "Your nose is so big, you should call a doctor and have it amputated!" Or, how 'bout this: "What do ya carry around in that snout, your pens or your whole writing desk?" Ooh, how 'bout this one: "Do you love the birds so much that you let them perch on your nose?" But NO! The best *you* can come up with is, "Your nose is rather large." Well, any fool can see that my nose is rather large, but your brain is rather small!