»
Archives
»
Open Poetry #36
»
The Love That Was Lost At The River
| Open Poetry #36 |
|
The Love That Was Lost At The River |
|
|
OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa 
|
The Love That Was Lost At The River 21 October 2001 Tell us the story, oh, grandmother, dear, Tell us again of the lovers who died at the river … Well, my dears, right on this rock where we sit On this big flat rock in the river, The lovers would come every day for six moons And would sit on this rock in the river. They sang and they talked, and they talked and they sang, Sang of their love on this rock in the river. He plaited coloured ribbons to tie up her hair, To tie up her hair, as they sat on this rock in the river. She smiled with her eyes and her heart and warm tears As she lovingly took the ribbons he had made And tied up her hair with his love in her heart As they sat on this rock in the river. Her love it was true, and her love it was deep, And as pure as the clear sweet water sweet That chuckled and lapped at this rock where they sat, Where they sat on this rock in the river. But he thought it not For he trusted no-one Not even his love on the rock in the river. He had seen her talk to another and smile And wouldn’t believe it was of him she did speak Of him on the rock in the river. His heart it did ache, his heart it did break though she begged and she pleaded with all the love in her heart as they sat on the rock in the river. The wild River God became angry at them As they sat on the rock in the river. For they were breaking the peace and serenity true Of the soft river song and the bird calls sweet As they shattered their love Where they sat on the rock in the river. And he sent down the river in torrents And washed them off their rock in the river. They were swept downstream and they floundered and gulped As they left further and further behind The rock where they had loved in the river. At last they were washed ashore, half-drowned, But not on the same side of the river. As they regained their breath and their strength and their tears They both stood up on the riverbank near where They had loved and lost at the river. He reached up and broke off a thick branch rough and plunged it into his heart, his heart As he stood on the edge of the river. She called, “Tear it out, tear it out!” As she watched him from her side of the river. “Tear it out, tear it out, for you can, for you can” But her voice it was lost as he sang, as he sang The wildest of songs that came from his lips, That came from his lips at the river. A song of scorn and insults and blameless shame And cruelty raw at the river. And her heart broke in two And in four and in eight And it shattered in more at the river. “How could you?” she cried For I loved you so true And now you pierce my heart with your song With your poisoned arrow o’er the river. And she cried out aloud to the Heavens above To the Forest Folk around at the river. She cried out his words That were false, that were false That had broken her heart at the river. She cried out her love That was true, that was true That was born and destroyed at the river. And the Heavens and Forest Folk laughed as she cried and they pointed in derision near the river. He thought they were going to pull out the stake From his heart, from his heart As he slowly bled more at the river. But they were laughing at him and at her and at them And scorning their love at the river. And so the two died on opposite banks, On opposite banks of the river. He with a stake through his heart, through his heart, And through hers a poisoned song arrow. And the blood it did flow from his heart, from her heart, And it flowed from the banks of the river, And it coloured the water blood-red as it flowed But it didn’t join up in the river. And dear children, do you see yonder those trees one each side, One each side, one each side of the river? That one is him and that one is her Where they stand on the banks of the river. Do you see, do you see how they reach out towards Each other where they stand on the banks of the river? Do you see, do you see that they don’t ever touch They don’t ever touch o’er the river. And when the rain comes they weep all their tears As they bled, as they bled in the river. And when the storms come and the torrents rush down And the wind it howls o’er the river, It is said, it is said that those who know love like theirs On this rock that stands in the river, They hear them, they see them, those lovers of yore, Who loved and who lost at the river. She with a poisoned arrow sticking out of her heart And his with a stake, as they stand on the banks of the river. They call to each other, they call in the wind as it moans And those who love as they loved at the river, Hear her words, “Tear it out, tear it out, for you can, for you can” And his song that is wild as the song that he sang, Full of passion and scorn and blameless shame And cruelty raw at the river. And they sing to young lovers, “Oh please learn from us oh learn from our pain at the river. Learn to trust, learn to trust And not shame your lover of all loves As you stand on the banks of the river. For we are doomed, we are doomed To be lovelorn and lost, Forever as we stand at the river. And the only salvation we ever will find Is a little repose if you learn from us To trust, to trust as you stand on the banks of the river. Pass it on, pass it on, our story we’ve told Tell your children, their children and theirs and so on Learn to love and to trust and respect those you love As you stand on the banks of the river. For our love it was gained and our love it was lost Where we stand on the banks of the river.” - Owl |
||
| © Copyright 2005 Diana van den Berg - All Rights Reserved | |||
|
serenity blaze Member Empyrean
since 2000-02-02
Posts 27738 |
This reads an enduring folk song, and perhaps if I could learn to sing again, I might be less likely to forget.  Enjoying you m'friend. |
||
Mysteria 
since 2001-03-07
Posts 18328British Columbia, Canada |
I was thinking the same thing when reading it that it surely must be a folk song, and if not it surely should be. What a wonderful story, I really loved the storyline. |
||
|
OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thanks, Serenity Blaze and Mysteria. It is actually my story, told allegorically. - Owl |
||
|
Ratleader
since 2003-01-23
Posts 7026Visiting Earth on a Guest Pass |
Oh what a haunting song this is! I simply can't be objective about it, especially knowing that it carries reality within its depths....and I don't want to be. ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸¸¸ºº> ~~(¸¸ ¸¸ºº> ~~~(¸¸ER¸¸ºº> |
||
|
Enchantress Member Empyrean
since 2001-08-14
Posts 35113Canada eh. |
A wonderful story you have gifted us with this evening.. A keeper for all time. Hugs~Nancy ~Let peace begin with me... |
||
|
OwlSA Member Rara Avis
since 2005-11-07
Posts 9347Durban, South Africa |
Thank you Ratleader and Enchantress. The guy in the poem was a poet too. - Owl |
||
|
|
⇧ top of page ⇧ |
|
| All times are ET (US). All dates are in Year-Month-Day format. | ||
