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Sunshine
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since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart

0 posted 2000-07-03 11:07 AM


Last Night With Dickens

You know how it is, being open to all deep thoughts
especially when you've read of life's tragedies brought
to the forefront by authors now long since dead and gone
and you wonder and ponder what 'twas pushed them on.

And it was

By candlelight and quill pen the writers thus wrote
with sheaves of papers, did all first thoughts denote
the exact proper phrase, or were rewrites a given?
Ah, to be transported back, and see them all now living.

Then,

'Twas "Charles" I'd been reading, copyright 1962
and a young lady wrote in there all that she knew
of Dickens life, as if there by his side was she,
and as if by a moment's magic, I was pulled in to see

(oh how life is)

That Dickie's life was platted out while he was so young
and even while a child, he perceived how things had begun
long before he was of an age to have experienced thus,
the life forces with which he would become so entrussed.

Fascinated, I saw

His wife, dear Kate, kept closed her intellect's door
while her adept sister, Mary, loved Charlie even more,
so thus he kept them both quite close, their spirits he adored
while he kept composing, drafting, bewitching, … writing ever more.

I watched as

During the worthy times, pending the destitute days
he always found that he had something profound to say
and say it he did, his quill quivering, writing furiously now
his words a panacea, as he mopped the sweat there from his brow.

Quiet desperation, love,

But when his Mary died, his suffering became despair
and I felt heartsick for him, 'tho bigotry he had dared
right in front of his own wife, beautiful, sweet, solemn Kate,
the two so needed in his life, bigotry his welcome mate.

And then,

Last night Charlie came, he beckoned unto me
and in my reverie, I dreamt then that I could see
his frock coat so, his broadcloth so purely white
he said "So, I understand your desire is then to write."

Thus, I replied

"Yes, sir, but your talented ways, those I have not,
so you see, all I have before me, is all that I have got
and while it will not change the world as you have rightly done,
I'll still give my doubtful talent some room to play and run."

Said Charlie, so kind,

"Well, keep it up, do a slap-up job" and then Charlie, with a nod,
flowed from my dreams, his vision blurred, then so softly bobbed
gently out of sight, gone, but never again out of mind
for his true life story touched me deeply, though sublime.

and the epilogue,

With my apologies to Charlie, and to all of you
and my thanks, and prayers, that none of you will rue
the day I came to visit, and with you here I share
my dreams, my hopes, my visions,
and all the expressions that I dare.

©KRJ
29 August 1999



Sunny

~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
Helen Keller ~~~

When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ


© Copyright 2000 Karilea Rilling Jungel - All Rights Reserved
Sudhir Iyer
Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943
Mumbai, India : now in Belgium
1 posted 2000-07-03 11:47 AM


Karilea,

This is a CLASSIC for sure....

Amazedly yours,
Sudhir
P.S. hopw do u do it? such incredible poetry??

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee,
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

- John Donne

Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
2 posted 2000-07-03 11:57 AM


I do it, Sudhir, only by inspiration such as you give...thank you...

Sunny

~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
Helen Keller ~~~

When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ


HelmutB
Senior Member
since 2000-01-06
Posts 964
Canada
3 posted 2000-07-03 12:39 PM


Beautiful and so enchantingly written in style, love it my friend

The ability to describe life with words is similar to painting a picture; both can be powerful tools.


Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
4 posted 2000-07-03 02:33 PM


Your "enchantingly" will echo in my heart, Helmut, thank you...

Sunny

~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
Helen Keller ~~~

When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ


Kit McCallum
Administrator
Member Laureate
since 2000-04-30
Posts 14774
Ontario, Canada
5 posted 2000-07-03 02:54 PM


You've woven this tale beautifully Sunshine! How sweet it would be to turn back time and watch these lives unfold as if a fly on the wall.  Wonderful writing!

Best wishes,
/Kit

Denise
Moderator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-08-22
Posts 22648

6 posted 2000-07-03 04:46 PM


This is one of the first I read when I found Passions! Good choice, Karilea!  

Denise

Poet deVine
Administrator
Member Seraphic
since 1999-05-26
Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley
7 posted 2000-07-03 09:19 PM


Wonderful!!  
BSC
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-02-04
Posts 2919
New York, USA
8 posted 2000-07-03 09:23 PM


Oh Wow Sunshine - Simply incredible, .... just wow..... Bonnie
Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
9 posted 2000-07-04 11:03 AM


Kit, Denise, Sharon, Bonnie...thank you all!
Marge Tindal
Deputy Moderator 5 ToursDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 TourDeputy Moderator 1 Tour
Member Empyrean
since 1999-11-06
Posts 42384
Florida's Foreverly Shores
10 posted 2000-07-04 11:52 AM


Karilea~
Well ....
this just pleased the 'Dickens' out of me !
~*Marge*~


~*The pen of the poet never runs out of ink, as long as we breathe.*~
noles1@totcon.com



Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354
Listening to every heart
11 posted 2000-07-04 12:04 PM


{~,^} thanks, Marge!

Sunny

~~~Keep your face to the sunshine and you cannot see the shadow.
Helen Keller ~~~

When you want to be loved, look within...KRJ


Mike
Member Elite
since 1999-06-19
Posts 2462

12 posted 2000-07-15 06:36 PM


excellent poetry... wonderful read.
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