Sunday, April 17, 2016

857 - The Stalker


Three Word Wednesday requires participants
to use the three words of the week in a composition.
The words this week are: melancholy, opaque and nimble.


The Stalker

[The Boy]
As I embrace my pirate dream
With galleons, swords and lots of gold,
The world is simply what it seems
What I see today, the future holds.

[Chorus]
A trusting lad,
A trusting lad,
He thinks that what he sees today
Is like the sword that’s set in stone
And it always will remain that way,
Always will remain that way.

[Youth]
I know it all and I’m not scared,
I think that I am worldly-wise,
Immortal and so quite prepared,
To dance across Death’s sweeping scythe!

[Chorus]
With nimble feet,
With nimble feet,
He’s hop across the swinging blade,
But should he hap to trip and fall 
He’ll be sliced and diced and then filleted,
Sliced and diced and then filleted.

[Man]
Sure I know that life must end,
But no idea when it will be,
So I just live and so pretend
It will somehow bypass me!

[Chorus]
It’s quite opaque,
It’s quite opaque,
The future is so far from clear;
All that we can know for sure
Is that Death is grinning ear to ear,
Death is grinning ear to ear.

[Old Man]
The melancholy fact has dawned,
The sand is draining through the glass,
That of which I had been warned
Relentlessly now has come to pass.

[Chorus]
Relentlessly,
Relentlessly,
The future is a ball of twine,
Tangled and of unknown length…

[J Cosmo Newbery]
Oh, give me strength and pass the wine!

[Chorus]
Give him strength and pass the wine!

◊◊◊

Alternative ending for Rallentanda

[Old Greek Man]
With a four day stubble that celebrates
A serious session with fine ouzo;
Who gives a damn!  Smash the plates!
When your time is up, then youse go!

[Chorus]
A smashing time!
A smashing time!
Retsina is just recycled pine
Only for the rash or brave…

[JCN]
Um, pinot noir will be just fine!

[Chorus]

Pinot noir will be just fine!
.
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© J Cosmo Newbery 2016
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32 comments:

  1. Silly bugger! You live in Melbourne.Go to a Greek restaurant,get pissed, dance,smash a few dozen plates and you'll feel better:)

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    Replies
    1. Just for you, an alternative ending. ;-)

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    2. As a psychoceramic he has been advised to avoid Greek restaurants.

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    3. Old Greek Man is my favourite part of the life cycle of a Cosmo. You see, the best is saved for the end. Although I can envisage some difficulties with the final transformation in regard to traditional dress,forehead slapping and Greek dancing. :) The crackpot factor should be a doddle for you.

      Thank you for writing this for me.Smiles!

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    4. You are most welcome.

      Yes, I grant you that the traditional dress may be a difficulty but Zorba went for the fisherman outfit so perhaps I can duck the white and brocade bib and tucker.

      Delete
  2. Merlot for me. An night of ouzo once caused me to long for death.

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    Replies
    1. I remember hugging the concrete too on a night out with ouzo! Lethal delicious drink !

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    2. I'm impressed that either of you remember it at all.

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  3. Much wisdom and smile :)

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  4. Wine's a sure cure for whines

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Clearly you haven't experienced me crying on your shoulder...

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  5. I love this! Especially the alternate ending :D

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  6. Ouzo and plate smashing..that's the way to go... what's the point of the rest!!! :)

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    Replies
    1. Fills in the space between hatch and dispatch?

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    2. Love this comment...."the space between hatch and dispatch"---oh my ;-)

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  7. Just about sums it up - i too chorus the opinion - skip the blades and adventure and fill a glass with wine

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  8. Australian Pinot Noir I hope!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Of course. But, being Aussie, I call it Black Pine.

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  9. Cleverly contrived! And bring on the wine....

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  10. I was hearing a opera, then a Greek chorus, and the music played in my head as I read....what a fabulous poem.....and a perfect ending! Enjoy life....

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  11. Bravo! This is an excellent poem with its voice of several ages of man and the chorus. Really well done.

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  12. I dont know which I enjoyed more - the poem, which had me grinning from ear to ear along with Death, or the conversation following which was very entertaining. Bravo! You have written a remarkable and highly entertaining piece which would be perfect for performance poetry at an open mic. I would love to see you read it. Wineglass in hand, held aloft, with perhaps a chorus of smashing plates. Smiles. Such good fun!

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  13. "To dance across Death’s sweeping scythe!

    [Chorus]
    With nimble feet,
    With nimble feet,
    He’s hop across the swinging blade,
    But should he hap to trip and fall
    He’ll be sliced and diced and then filleted,
    Sliced and diced and then filleted."---Oh boy! These lines scared the hell outta me!!!! Smiles. Enjoyed this piece... :)

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  14. the second ending gets my vote !

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  15. Luv this track of time in journeying life,with its perceptions, dreams and realizations
    Makes me think of a song [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K41kIS_Wl94]

    have a nice Sunday, thanks for dropping in at my Sunday Lime

    much love...

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  16. Awesome! Enjoyed every bit of it.
    ZQ

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  17. Love it...bravo! The progression and the choruses along the way...brilliant :-)

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  18. A rousing tale - well told. Love the gilbert-and-sullivan-esque repetitions.

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  19. Oh I love it, I love it. Especially the alternative ending(s).

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