I woke with a start
Was that a bump?
It was pitch dark
Who is that there?
Had to check up
Put my robe on
Quiet down the stair
Open the back door
Hair stands on end
Am grabbed from behind
What is going on?
Whisked off my feet
Can't even call out
Put into a boat
And Charon he says
"Coin in my hand"
Then opens my mouth
I panic and squirm
A tooth he extracts
My gold capped one
He examines it well
And loosens his grip
I'm over the side
In the River Styx
The river of death
Swim to the shore
Run back home fast
In through the door
Climb up the stairs
Get into my bed
Am asleep in a sec
Dead to the world
Wake soaked in sweat
That wasn't a dream
I have cheated death
Just for a bit!
(Image by Cecil Keating found on cover of Penguin Classics book "Satirical Sketches" by Lucian. 1961)
This poem written many years ago was one of the first poems I ever posted. The coin in the mouth (for my gold tooth) was the tradition to pay the mythical ferryman for the journey across the River Styx to Hades in ancient Greek tradition.
I have cheated death
Just for a bit!
(Image by Cecil Keating found on cover of Penguin Classics book "Satirical Sketches" by Lucian. 1961)
This poem written many years ago was one of the first poems I ever posted. The coin in the mouth (for my gold tooth) was the tradition to pay the mythical ferryman for the journey across the River Styx to Hades in ancient Greek tradition.
Good one, Robin! At first I thought, 'Oh, he hasn't done a Waltmarie.' True, you haven't, but I see you have given us an embedded story-within-a-story, in verse rather than prose. I'm not sure whether to see the dream as embedded within the tale of Charon and the gold tooth, or the other way around – but either way works.
ReplyDeleteWell written Robin.
ReplyDeleteThank you Robin. I knew the River Styx but not the payment with a gold tooth. Got a little scary there. Yes, we liked our Aus and NZ a lot. I've posted quite a bit of our travel on my other blog, drop the "6" from this one. Then on the sidebar there is a link. It doesn't get all though, a blog search would get more. My Blogger page is old, it doesn't get but one page though.
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Whew!! Out of breath reading your poetry. In a good way. Three weeks decades in NZ and AUS ... long enough to make me a fan for life!
ReplyDeleteI'd try to convince myself it was a dream - but if the gold cap is missing... !!
ReplyDeleteWonderful, and written in a form to match the terror.
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