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Open Poetry #47
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The Freckled Face of a Girl
| Open Poetry #47 |
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The Freckled Face of a Girl |
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Rex Allen McCoy Member Elite
since 2000-01-30
Posts 2863Sippin a Timmy's in London 
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~~~ Dappled gray horses sweat crusted and weary hooves drifting dust lift a day passing dreary The harness bells faded reigned in at the rill a cool running brook near the base of our hill ~ My eyes I'm a lad scant older than four brought visions to mind full of wonders in store A wagon decked out like a big city market he lifted the side then he shook out the carpet ~ Our old kitchen door screamed out lack of oil a kettle clanged gently just set on to boil E'er mother's voice shouted "I think it's the Pox the old folks have died I've been digging their plots" ~ "My father's in bed and they won't let me near" the stranger walked by with a smile mussed my hair Went in with a bag full of magic he grows started mixing a broth made with god only knows ~ Tip toed on a box dragged in from the yard through windows he folded gunpowder with lard The screams of my father sent tears to my eyes they rubbed him completely in spite of his cries ~ They fed him the broth a few drops at a time I climbed off the box with his horses in mind "The horses love apples" I turned with a whirl peeking out from his wagon the freckled face of a girl ~ In moments I knew her a lifetime it seemed a most likeable friend who knew all the schemes As father got better twas time to move on her father a doctor a peddler a con ~ He'd done us a service we could never repay though he sold us an organ an' stool by the way Each year they returned once or twice they dropped by little freckle faced Mary soon the girl of my eye ~ They'd rest a few days with each visit it's true she wrote the best love songs while I wrote the tunes Then one night it happened 'neath moon and the stars consummating a love that would forever be ours ~ He stumbled upon us but said not a word in the morning so early fading echoes we heard Ne'er again did we see them though rumors of peril ... my parents expired to a place 'neath the barrow ~ Five years had surpassed isolation and grief knocked a lamp from the table when I'd fallen asleep The house nearly cinder an' I felt like the fool only item I'd saved was the old organ stool ~ Just sat there and watched till the sun broke the morn in the distance an echo I'd heard years before Then over the rise sweat crusted and weary two dappled gray horses on a day passing dreary ~ The horses reigned in right next to the rill that sweet running brook at the base of our hill A woman climbed down took a step to the glade the dawning day's sun streaming in to pervade ~ A light in my heart jumped a thousand times fold the smile in her eyes and the story's been told The tears fell in rapture though nothing was said embraced now with Mary she'd returned from the dead ~ She unhitched the horses I lifted the side "The years have been kind" I said lifting her pride "Are you my daddy?" I turned with a whirl peeking out from the wagon the freckled face of a girl ~~~ |
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| © Copyright 2011 Rex Allen McCoy - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Lori Grosser Rhoden Member Patricius
since 2009-10-10
Posts 10202Fair to middlin' of nowhere |
Rex! What a love story! What an ending! Just perfect, top to bottom! Lori |
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JerryPat Senior Member
since 2010-10-30
Posts 1991Louisiana/America |
Marvelous story-telling, Rex. I was spell-bound from the first line to the great finish. In the back of my mind I kept the tune of an old Cher song, "Gypsies, Tramps and Thieves" traipsing throughout the reading. THIS was good. ~ Clones are people two ~ |
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Rex Allen McCoy Member Elite
since 2000-01-30
Posts 2863Sippin a Timmy's in London |
Thanks Lori and Jerry  this is actually a true story ... it was my Great Great Grandparents ... my daughter still uses the organ stool with her keyboard |
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steavenr Member Elite
since 2003-11-17
Posts 4058 |
cool story...cool history...cool writing...found myself breathing shallow...so very, very, very good...this passed exceptional...wow!! |
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JerryPat Senior Member
since 2010-10-30
Posts 1991Louisiana/America |
You know I had a fleeting image that I was reading history, Rex. I don't know, it was something about how the poem was constructed that messed with my mind. WoW! Great. That makes it even better. ~ Clones are people two ~ |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Storytelling is an art, Rex, and one you seem to do very well....excellent job with this one! |
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katahdin Senior Member
since 2010-07-01
Posts 1196ME. In the Shadow of the Mt. |
Wonderfull story! Enjoyed! Kat >^..^< |
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Mysteria 
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
What a wonderful story to pass down through the ages. I loved it. |
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ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
Just gotta love this one. Took a couple of twists and turns like life really does and I didn't expect the ending to be like it is. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this Rex. Eric two maggots were fighting in dead earnest! |
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Klassy Lassy Member Elite
since 2005-06-28
Posts 2187Oregon |
Marvelous poem and story telling in rhyming cadence! Life is stranger than fiction sometimes, the way it is orchestrated and perpetuated, and how it goes down in history. This is a gem! What a way to preserve some family history. I enjoyed it very much. ~KL |
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OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
I loved every word, from beginning to end. You had me spellbound. And of course, the 2 dappled horses added to my smile. And then to hear it is TRUE! That was the cherry on top. That had me smiling from inside out. It would make a wonderful book and/or movie. Owl |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
It's a  , m'friend. |
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s1nfully_1nn0c3nt Senior Member
since 2003-10-26
Posts 1105Watertown, NY |
Oh, this is sweet. Enjoyed from beginning to end.  -Trina |
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Marchmadness Member Rara Avis
since 2007-09-16
Posts 9271So. El Monte, California |
Fascinating story, Rex. Enjoyed. Ida |
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Rex Allen McCoy Member Elite
since 2000-01-30
Posts 2863Sippin a Timmy's in London |
Thanks everyone ... I've always enjoyed reading and writing a poem that also tells a story ... and of course I enjoy the challenge of rhyme and meter. |
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