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Open Poetry #8
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The Round Table
| Open Poetry #8 |
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The Round Table |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania 
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The Round Table We sat around a table in a place remote from here A steak house known for Argentine beef and that great choppe beer And everyone was joking wildly full of youthful cheer But laughter stopped abruptly with , "Man, what are we doing here? He said, look at the bunch of us in a foreign town tonight We should be home with family and doing what is right But as for me, I just don't have the guts in me to fight So I dodged the draft and borrowed money for a one way flight He said we're all escaping from something that we did Or we've got something deep inside that's been a long time hid But we're all here for a reason, and I've just got a hunch That there's not a single tourist in this whole American bunch Then going around the table, each one told his little tale The first one said if I go back I know I'm going to jail The next one said that's just about where I am coming from I won't go back and they'll never make me go to Viet Nam The next one said he burned his draft card and threw it to the wind But I had seen him holding hands with the guy right next to him So I had a feeling he was escaping more than just a war But his friend said he was studying fish along the eastern shore And so it went around the table, each had run away From family, war or other kind of turbulence of the day But I knew my turn was coming and my heart began to pound As each one spoke and so my turn had finally come around So what are you doing here with us in a place so far from home I didn't know how to put in words the meaning of "alone" I didn't know if my trembling was from hunger or from fear So I looked around the table and I answered with a tear Just then the beef was being served and more cold choppe too And jokes and wild laughter quick filled the smokey room Elizabeth Santos |
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| © Copyright 2000 Elizabeth Santos - All Rights Reserved | |||
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Sudhir Iyer Member Ascendant
since 2000-04-26
Posts 6943Mumbai, India : now in Belgium |
He said we're all escaping from something that we did Or we've got something deep inside that's been a long time hid But we're all here for a reason, and I've just got a hunch That there's not a single tourist in this whole American bunch .... So what are you doing here with us in a place so far from home I didn't know how to put in words the meaning of "alone" I didn't know if my trembling was from hunger or from fear So I looked around the table and I answered with a tear Just then the beef was being served and more cold choppe too And jokes and wild laughter quick filled the smokey room ........ This is one of the most moving and profound poems in recent times that I have read... we're all escaping from something ARE WE NOT??? ... Thanks for presenting this beautiful poem, Liz, Thank you.... regards, sudhir [This message has been edited by Sudhir Iyer (edited 06-21-2000).] |
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Seymour Tabin Member Empyrean
since 1999-07-07
Posts 31720Tamarac Fla |
Elizabeth, You touched on a tender point, but you did it so well. Wonderful poem. Love Sy |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
Sudhir, Thanks for your kind reponse Liz Sy, Hi, stranger It's only 5:45 where I am so I was surprised to see you up so early. Thank you, dear friend Love ya Liz |
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