It’s been a long, long time since I entered the dVerse poetry community pub, because life is a thing and my memory banks became overloaded. But, I’ve found my way back, without using a map!
I’m happy to have found my way back and take part in the Quadrille at dVerse, hosted by De. The word we should use in this 44 word poem is ‘jump’, or a variation of it.
I hope you enjoy my variation on the fairytale The Emperor’s New Clothes!
We didn’t know we didn’t want it Until we’d passed it all around We didn’t know how to stop it So many six feet under ground
Our homes they began to empty Some tried to run far away The brave ones locked the village down Others fell to their knees to pray
The vicar held services in the fields The church was locked up tight Still the sickness danced in the air Giving us death deep in the night
We saw not a soul in fourteen months Our dead in our gardens now rest The streets have been emptied of laughter and joy But we are alive, so we must be blessed
*****
Tonight over on dVerse, Merril is our genial host and has asked to write on the theme of giving. I learned a new thing, that the Tuesday after US Thanksgiving is known as Giving Tuesday when people often donate to charitable organisations and non-profits.
Now… true to type, I have at first sight opted for the giving, or passing around, of something unpleasant – disease. My poem is inspired by the village of Eyam in Derbyshire which was infected by the Great Plague in 1665, after a parcel of infected cloth was delivered from London to the village tailor. Under the leadership of the rector, Reverend William Mompesson and his predecessor, Reverend Thomas Stanley, the village took measures to prevent the plague spreading to the surrounding area and also to limit, where possible, spread of disease within the village.
Of the 800 people living in the village, 260 died. If it hadn’t been for the brave actions the community took, the surrounding areas could have been at least as badly affected as Eyam. This is the real gift behind my poem.
The photo above is a window in the village church, telling the story of Eyam and the Great Plague. If you wold like to know more, please check out the village website here.
If you would like to read more poems on the theme of giving, please hop over to dVerse and enjoy! You could also take part if the mood strikes you!
You disappear, in swirling snow I whisper ‘Daddy, please don’t go’ You nod and wave to say goodbye You turn away, I wonder why Watching from a misty window
I turn away, I mutter ‘No’ This world scares me, I want to go Shy and frightened, I start to cry you disappear
Hiding tears, I hang my head low I want you here to say ‘I know’ Your gentle hand, a light, soft sigh Be with me now, you have to try I’ve come this far, don’t let me go You disappear
*****
Through taking part in Open Link Night, I discovered a new-to-me poetry prompt – W3. Organised by David over at The Skeptic’s Kaddish, each week a different poet is Poet of the Week, who’s poem each participant reads before submitting their poem in response to the prompt. The poems are then read by the Poet of the Week who selects the next week’s Poet of the Week.
W3 Prompt #82: Wea’ve Written Weekly’s poet of the week, Sarah, prompted us to write a rondeau inspired by a childhood memory. I have never written a rondeau before so this was challenging and fun. It has a unique stanza and rhyme pattern that means you do need to dig around in your brain to find the right words, all while remaining true to your chosen theme.
My childhood memory is more reminiscent of a running theme – an intermittent father. This theme runs behind a lot of my work, sometimes overtly, most often not.
I hope you enjoy reading it – do hop on over to the link above on The Skeptic’s Kaddish blog to read more of the wonderful poems. You could even take part yourself!
