Friday, June 18, 2010

The Knife



MAGPIE TALES
http://magpietales.blogspot.com/

THE LETTER!

My quill is now sharpened; my knife laid aside.
So now for my missive to start.
To think that you, promised to me as my bride,
Should tell me that we have to part!
When you dropped your kerchief (and was it by chance?)
Your eyes met his eyes and I knew
There was much more than gratitude there in your glance,
And I saw that he noticed it too.
*
You hussy! You trollop!  You bobtail! You wench!
They are laughing at me in the street!
You treat me as though I were some sort of stench!
To think that I once thought you sweet!
*
But stay! See my pen knife laid there close to hand!
A knife can cut more than a quill!
I'm feeling the blade! It is sharp! It is planned!
You will learn that a pen knife can
KILL!
*
A pen knife was so named because quill pens were prepared with it.

Preparing a modern quill.
*

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HOVER BOY!

I didn't take this picture! But the concept caught my eye.
A little boy who's very brave, pretending he can fly!
High up in a sky-scraper, on a strong transparent floor,
He can spread his arms and swoop straight up and hover there and soar.
The buildings way below him look exactly like small toys,
And he knows he is the envy of all other little boys.
He certainly has a head for heights! He thinks that he's a bird!
Would I be prepared to do the same? What me? Don't be absurd!
*

15 comments:

mrsnesbitt said...

Love that poem Brend utterly excellent!

Jinksy said...

Having once tried to make a quill pen, I'm full of admiration for those who used them every day!

Linda said...

Well written. Sad and violent ending.

susan m hinckley said...

Wonderful magpie! So well executed, and I loved the rhyme. I thought you really captured the feel of the prompt. Bravo.

Helen said...

Ooooooo, your Magpie is chilling and thrilling! Nice writing.

Carrie Van Horn said...

Love this one, it is wonderful to speak the poem outloud. :-)

Unknown said...

Nice, I really enjoyed your magpie.

And the litte boy pretending to fly, very cute

Anonymous said...

the power of the pen nicely illustrated...

Lyn said...

Run, I say!! Call your lawyer..not everything was meant to last..except your talent, of course!!

Tess Kincaid said...

I had no idea that's where the term "pen knife" came from!

Tumblewords: said...

Well done, as always!

Kathe W. said...

yikes.....scary and chilling Magpie!

cosmos cami said...

Snappy stanzas!

Aoife.Troxel said...

I like how the narrative is calm at first, and then his true feelings are loosed.

christine said...

Thank you for telling me where the term penknife came from I had no idea.

Christine