Tuesday, July 15, 2014

729 - The Old Soldier

The above photo (or something a bit like it)
was the prompt at The Mag.
The stairs, and their wear, made me think
of old things and repetition.
Sounds like a cue for a villanelle.


The Old Soldier

Fearful of all that lay ahead
And bearing the scars of pointless war,
He climbed the staircase to his bed.

He’d walked amongst the living dead
On a Stygian sea he’d washed ashore,
Fearful of all that lay ahead.

Many had died and many had fled,
Remembering all in this broken corps 
He climbed the staircase to his bed.

But he seldom slept, for the dread
That would drench him to the core,
Fearful of all that lay ahead.

With heavy heart and weary head,
As he had so oft before,
He climbed the staircase to his bed.

He could see the future, so it’s said,
Visions he could not ignore,
Fearful of all that lay ahead
He climbed the staircase to his bed.
.
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© J Cosmo Newbery 2014
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19 comments:

  1. AnonymousJuly 15, 2014

    I hear the creak under each weary footstep, J. I like it.

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  2. I'm picturing the Civil War because of the pattern on the rug.

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  3. I feel the weight of war on him. This moves me so much because both my father and father-in-law served in WW II. Moving piece.

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  4. A war veteran can well be a loner after it is all over, for his 'war' is sustained to account for his survival. Great villanelle Cosmo!

    Hank

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  5. Yes it is moving and reminds me of war veterans (secret) reminiscences.

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  6. Old soldiers never die? They live in an unending nightmare. At lest some/many of them do. And far too many die far too young, by their own choice, because they cannot stand the nightmare any longer.

    Fine words, JC.

    Pece and joy!

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  7. In a word, impressive...

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  8. The very, very sad epitome of courage.

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  9. wow. This is wonderful. Very moving

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  10. Haunted by memories and cannot sleep.

    Love the poem very much ~ Eddie :)

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  11. There is a lot of wisdom to be had, talking to old codgers, but this poor old buggers seems to be always climbing the stairs! I liked the extra line in the last stanza. It accentuated the theme.

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  12. Very moving and sad dear Cosmo, an insight into the thoughts and memories that still haunt him.
    xoxoxo ♡

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  13. AnonymousJuly 16, 2014

    What a moving poem - and a sad one.

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  14. At least he wrote LOTR and Narnia before lights out .......

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  15. I liked the repetition of fearful of all that lay ahead. I think that is true of most of us whether we care to admit it or not.

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  16. Is this in honor of The Great War...excellent...

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  17. Brilliant use of the form. Really well done J.

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  18. oh dear, don't show this to grapeling, or he will get even tireder.

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  19. moving story, "But he seldom slept," is so true, images of war are haunting.

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