The T. S Eliot poem begins as a parody of Rudyard Kipling's poem "l'Envoi" (also known as "The Long Trail") from Barrack-Room Ballads and Other Verses. Compare the first few lines of Kipling's
There's a whisper down the field where the year has shot her yield,
And the ricks stand grey to the sun,
Singing:--'Over then, come over, for the bee has quit the clover,
And your English summer's done.'
You have heard the beat of the off-shore wind,
And the thresh of the deep-sea rain;
You have heard the song--how long! how long?
Pull out on the trail again!
with Eliot's
There's a whisper down the line at 11.39
When the Night Mail's ready to depart,
Saying `Skimble where is Skimble has he gone to hunt the thimble?
We must find him or the train can't start.'
All the guards and all the porters and the stationmaster's daughters
They are searching high and low,
Saying `Skimble where is Skimble for unless he's very nimble
Although originally published as part of a collection of poems, Skimbleshanks: The Railway Cat was published as a standalone picture book by Faber and Faber in 2015.[1]
Character
In the musical Cats, Skimbleshanks is depicted as a bright and energetic older cat who lives and works on the mail trains.[2] He is a meticulous control freak,[3][4] though he has a tender side that comes out in his interactions with Jennyanydots and the kittens.[2] He is a figure of great importance in the train's operation; it will not leave without him, and he frequently looks in on the passengers and crew to ensure that everything is running smoothly.