Chaucer Smiles a Greensleeve's Dream

How to Join	Member's Area	Private Library	Search	Sanctuary		Login
Main Forums	Discussion	Tech Talk	Mature Content	Archives	A home without a wall, Our haven without ends, A circle we all call Our Family of Friends!

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

0 posted 2008-01-08 04:30 PM

Chaucer Smiles a Greensleeve's Dream

By lute, or flute,
‘tis when the sound
of the melody comes,
and the pianissimo
quality is there

for even a violin
will lend itself
to open doors
upon a cool night’s air

so walk, then, along with me,
upon the stones,
to a scene
past the mist,
toward the simpler revelry,

and see, ‘tis now that Chaucer smiles,
a bedeviled smile
as roasted venison is
carved and soundly plattered

while ale is happily poured
and long-ago voices chatter
as this, a dream, in which
he would find himself,

Oh, Chaucer’s smile is indeed bedeviled

For now the tune comes round and round
and he himself hears
a softer sound
as being there
within the maiden’s breast,
where his head would likely rest

Oh, Chaucer’s smile, ‘tis bedeviled…

For he heard the tune
e'en before the bard,
he heard yon spirits play
right there in yon yard,
and the notes were surely his
in heart
for a poet like he
could imagine
the art

of a melody
such as what a maiden
would sing,

alas, my love, you do me wrong

and he saw the maiden there
in the mist
dancing to a tune which was still
childless, and
there in the harvest moon
he swore,
he saw her dance
and saw even more…

Aye, Chaucer wore
a bedeviled smile…

Sunshine

Administrator

Member Empyrean

since 1999-06-25

Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

1 posted 2008-01-08 04:31 PM

History: First written 9-15-03 [seems like yesterday] I have taken this and revised it for your inspection, reflection, and dissection.

I see Brad's eyebrow raising. [Wonder why she revised it already?] Because as I read it over for possible reposting, I heard some words in it that I was probably too much in a hurry to hear before, that's why.

oceanvu2
Senior Member

since 2007-02-24

Posts 1066
Santa Monica, California, USA

2 posted 2008-01-08 06:34 PM

Hi Sunshine! The poem is delightful, high spirited, and insightful. I have to ask, though, why does it fall prey to rhyme as it progresses? It's the greatest of temptations when rhyme comes naturally to writers, but when a poem tries something different, slipping forward (take with grain of salt, here) why need it slip back?

Was this purposeful? What necessitates the transition?

Best, Jim Aitken

Brad
Member Ascendant

since 1999-08-20

Posts 5705
Jejudo, South Korea

3 posted 2008-01-08 07:31 PM

Like I told Bob, no time right now, but I wanted to say that the title itself is worth the price of admission.

I know that makes no sense but work with me here.

PS Big Chaucer fan here. I was an English major and my emphasis was that Middle English stuff.

TomMark
Member Elite

since 2007-07-27

Posts 2133
LA,CA

4 posted 2008-01-08 07:54 PM

"Chaucer Smiles a Greensleeve's Dream"
A light romantic poem

lute, or flute,
‘tis when the sound
of the melody comes,
and the pianissimo
quality is there

flowing music, soft and fine.

even a violin
will lend itself
to open doors
upon a cool night’s air

to the ears of everyone
no matter cold, dark, and wine and bedtime line
one wanted to be out and feel.

so walk, then, along with me,
upon the stones,
to a scene
past the mist,
toward the simpler revelry,

The heart is talking to the person(longing to be somewhere)
because only a quite soft music make
one dreams that somewhere there were a revelry.

see, ‘tis now that Chaucer smiles,
a bedeviled smile
as roasted venison is
carved and soundly plattered"

bedeviled.....overly charming

while ale is happily poured
and long-ago voices chatter
as this, a dream, in which
he would find himself,

related to certain story?
and the rest is an imagined play

Chaucer’s smile is indeed bedeviled

For now the tune comes round and round
and he himself hears
a softer sound
as being there
within the maiden’s breast,
where his head would likely rest

Oh, Chaucer’s smile, ‘tis bedeviled…

For he heard the tune
e'en before the bard,
he heard yon spirits play
right there in yon yard,
and the notes were surely his
in heart
for a poet like he
could imagine
the art

of a melody
such as what a maiden
would sing,

alas, my love, you do me wrong

and he saw the maiden there
in the mist
dancing to a tune which was still
childless, and
there in the harvest moon
he swore,
he saw her dance
and saw even more…

"Aye, Chaucer wore
a bedeviled smile…"

final sigh....come to get me!!!!

and why do you put an extra explain here?

for a poet like he
could imagine
the art

of a melody
such as what a maiden
would sing,

I love this one very much. Thank you for sharing and post here, dear lady Sunshine.

[This message has been edited by TomMark (01-08-2008 09:13 PM).]

	⇧ top of page ⇧
All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format.