May 27 - Celius Dougherty (The Musical Birthday Series)

Celius Dougherty (27 May 1902 – 22 December 1986) was a composer of songs, a few of which are still heard in voice teaching studios.  He was a distinguished accompanist and worked with singers such as such as Maggie Teyte, Jennie Tourel, Marian Anderson, and Alexander Kipnis. He attended my alma mater, the University of Minnesota.

These are double dactyls, a genre of biographically inspired humorous poem with very strict structural rules.  Here are links to two definitions for those who are curious.  The first from the Poetry Foundation is clearer but less accurate than the second, from Wikipedia.  Take your pick.  The classic statement is the book Jiggery-Pokery:  A Compendium of Double Dactyls by Anthony Hecht and John Hollander (New York, 1967).

Two Double Dactyls for Celius Dougherty

I.

Higgledy-piggledy,

Celius Dougherty,

Kept a dark secret from

Those who’d condemn —

Once he had lived as a

Minneapolitan,

Learning his trade at our

Own U of M.

II.

Higgledy-piggledy,

Celius Dougherty,

Worked as pianist for

Singers of note.

Often he asked of them,

Self-referentially,

“Would you please program some

Songs that I wrote?”