Ode to Sherlock Holmes

Why have you come back on this night
Of all nights of the year?
After so many years,
Only to find me like this,
With so little to show.
Well, here – all my achievements on a platter
Are sure to leave you hungry.
It’s all of no importance, of course.
All terribly dull, to be sure.
The poor confections of my work, once tried,
Will lead with a bright burst and then fade out
And linger in the mouth.
(The taste of triteness.)
A small and effervescent moment,
Swallowed by a dull and common flavor –
You must know it well by now.
You will exclaim, “How common!”
And adopt that solemn look,
And know that you do not know me well at all.
I have not fulfilled my promise.
I let the moment pass – but, don’t you see,
It rushed by with tremendous speed
And my legs were jelly by then.
And I doubt that I could match it
If it did go by again.