Crispin's Day, October 25 Poem by Douglas Scotney

When Crispin became the Saint of shoemakers,
parents with respect for that trade
named their straight-haired sons after him,

who wouldn't have before, unless ironically,
because 'Crispin' is
from the Latin for curly hair.

Parents had another excuse
when Henry won on Crispin's Day
at Agincourt.

One more big event,
you'd think Crispin
would top the list of favorite names.

It might have, in the 1590s or so,
after the Crispin Crispian speech
in IV iii of 'Henry 5'.

Still, perhaps the connect to curls,
cobblers and killing was too much,
for Crispin and Crispian to thrive.