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Open Poetry #20
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The Pebble
| Open Poetry #20 |
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The Pebble |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania 
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Rewritten from "The Love Letter" Mysteria was in this village with me She will appreciate this true story The Pebble I’ve often sat upon a boulder Feet in gushing stream Listening to the mesmerizing Rhythms of a dream A place where rapids shape the memory That today survives An abandoned granite quarry That has taken many lives They call this place St.Peters It's along a winding way It's beauty and it's history Are still alive today But the ghost that haunts the village Was discovered in a cave Where a soldier of the Revolution Life and honor gave I went to see the cavern where His skeleton was found And the only thing remaining, A small pebble on the ground So smooth and round the perfect stone I wondered if this man Had taken his last breath A souvenir clutched in his hand If only stones could talk This one would tell a tale of love How a man was trapped inside a cave By boulders from above It was at the Falls of French Creek In the hollows of a gorge Twelve men on horseback seeking food From camp at Valley Forge Then spotted by some redcoats They took refuge in the pines Riding up the slope toward rapids Where the flowing water winds They spread in all directions From the enemy they slipped And one hid in a cavern That became a soldier’s crypt For a hundred years he lay there His rifle by his side And a bottle with a written note About his future bride Within the letter he confessed His love for one so fair Hoping some day someone would unveil His lovely letter there Explaining all the details of The unforetold demise Then speaking of the beauty of Her dark and wild eyes Her name, Virginia Randolph To whom he knelt and swore That he’d return to her upon The ending of the war Oh, what this pebble witnessed In a soldier’s dying days The tears that fell, the words he spoke The prayers he must have prayed Many don’t believe the tale Though truth is widely known That there is a cemetery in Virginia with a stone A tombstone etched in granite “Here lies a broken heart Virginia Randolph, 21 From earth did sadly part “March first of 1780 She took her final breath In love with a lieutenant And faithful unto death” A pebble was a witness to the The story of the cave So I put it in my pocket As a souvenir to save It’s just a little pebble But so perfect and so round A little piece of history that Was left upon the ground A remnant of a soldier's plight The keepsake of a love Held by a soldier burried By a boulder from above A small and perfect pebble Formed by waters of a stream Left behind so that a poet Would enscroll a lover's dream Ellizabeth Santos [This message has been edited by Elizabeth Santos (05-03-2002 05:30 PM).] |
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| © Copyright 2002 Elizabeth Santos - All Rights Reserved | |||
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JamesMichael Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-16
Posts 33336Kapolei, Hawaii, USA |
And someone has revealed this love letter from his heart...and very nicely...James |
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ethome Member Patricius
since 2000-05-14
Posts 11858New Brunswick Canada |
Absolutely beautiful work Elizabeth! Enchanting read! |
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bsquirrel
since 2000-01-03
Posts 7855 |
Thanks for sharing that story ... Wonderful. |
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Mistletoe Angel
since 2000-12-17
Posts 32816Portland, Oregon |
"A small and perfect pebble Formed by waters of a stream Left behind so that a poet Would enscroll a lover's dream"  (tears fall down my cheeks) Oh Elizabeth, this is so very heartachingly beautiful, it saddens me deeply to think of him and Virginia and how they could never meet but yet deep down in spirit they were truly meant for each other in love! (kiss on cheek) I just know Mysteria will cry when she reads this, this is such a sad but compelling story, we all love you so much! You have such a beautiful heart, sweet Elizabeth, thank you for sharing!  May love and light always shine upon you! Love, Noah Eaton "Underneath your clothes there's an endless story..." |
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RSWells Member Elite
since 2001-06-17
Posts 2533 |
I enjoyed this very much. |
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Elan Member
since 2002-05-03
Posts 382State of Wide Eye |
A beautifully sad story written by a fair hand... |
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Balladeer
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-05
Posts 25505Ft. Lauderdale, Fl USA |
Story telling at its finest by a master of the trade.....it's beautiful, Liz  |
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Mysteria
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
Liz, I was in tears reading this, as it was so strange to see in print what I heard from you in person.  I had such a wonderful time sharing your childhood memories and you telling and showing me all the legends and places that inspire your writing.  Our trip to St. Peter's Villiage is one that I will never forget - ever!  I have copied this poem to go with these pictures in my album, and thank you sweet friend. I am so very humbled by your craft that you shared with me and the others and here on the site. You are truly a poet in every sense of the word, and your poems will be long remembered Liz. Thank you again. Imagination is more important that knowledge |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
James, Glad you liked the story Ethome, thank you very much. The photos from Sharon enhance the story Bsquirrel, THank you. Noah, you might be interested to know that the lieutenant remained entomed in the cave for a hundred years, Then a granite company unearthed the cave and found the skeleton along with the rifle and the note THey buried him in a local cemetary, then almost a hundred years later, a hisorian was investigating his life, and through local legend, finally found his grave. His remains were moved by both family's request and were buried next to Virginia Randolph's grave in the state of Virginia. Thank you for your interest Liz |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
RSWells, So glad you enjoyed the read Elan, thank you very much Balladeer, Now my poem has been enhanced by Sharons photos. THis village is just a small stretch of houses, behind which are the roaring Falls of French Creek, where I spent many hours as a child dreaming while dangling my feet in the mesaging waters. Thank you for your remarks Sharon, Oh, you also made me cry bringing up these pictures, and reminding me of our jaunt out to Shady Maple. I couldn't pass the road to St Peters without stopping there. THen you got to see the entrance to our old summer home, which sits back in the woods and the meadows which are subject of many of my poems. It was so much fun sharing this beauty with a friend. THank you so much for the pictures, It helps give vision to the place where this event occured. THanks for the memories Liz |
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