Sunday, June 21, 2020

THE DRUM

Word Pantry #25
I often have a problem making my poems
fit challenge guidelines.  Such was the case
with the dVerse quadrille challenge for DRUM,
which is to be limited to exactly 44 words.
I began the poem and my muse carried me away,
ending with 7 stanzas!.  I never did
accomplish a quadrille, but here's my
drum-inspired poem!
Submitted to Poets & Storytellers United
June 21, 2020
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              THE DRUM

The old oak sprawled by the tumbling stream
Stories wrapped within each  bough
Of times gone by and lives once lived
Through the years from then to now

Once long ago an Indian brave
Courted his maiden fair
And, oh the promises he made
As he ran his hands through her hair

He said, “Come to the oak at twilight
And listen for my drum
I’ll know you’re waiting here for me
And when darkness falls I’ll come”

The old oak knows their story
And whispered it to the wind
Of the brave and his fair maiden
And how it came to an end.

For the brave had gone to do battle
Promising he’d be back but didn’t know when
“Just listen at the oak at twilight“, he said
“You’ll hear my drum again”

The brave never returned from battle
His drum forever stilled
Heartbroken, the maiden accepted
Her brave warrior had been killed.

But if  you visit the oak at twilight
So the story is told by some
You’ll hear in the whispering silence
The sound of a distant drum.


18 comments:

  1. Wistfully wonderful poem. I can see why 44 words would not have 'done' it.

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  2. What a wonderful story you thus weaved inspired by the drum!

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  3. This is absolutely riveting, Bev! I so admire the excellent rhymes throughout the poem 💘

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  4. OMG! the story just breaks my heart. But i luvved reading it.
    Thanks for dropping by my sumie Sunday today

    Much💖love

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  5. I'll always listen for stories told by the trees. The see quite a bit more in their lives than we do.

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  6. This is heartbreaking. I know memories are all we have after a major loss, but... I wonder how much pain the sound of that ghostly drum brought to her heart. Then again, I guess their love story never died. So, there is some comfort on that.

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  7. Magical! I am certain that oaks hold stories that only the listening hearts can hear.

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  8. A sad tale probably heard across many years and many cultures. I do like your version with old oaks someday telling their stories of drums at twilight

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  9. Ahh--this is a beautiful and wistful write--it haunts--

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  10. Thank you for sharing, Bev. You penned a good story-poem! <3

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  11. A haunting. A tale that I feel I read in a storybook with illustrations.

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  12. Trees have so many stories, if only we could hear them all. This one is so sad. If only the fair maiden had heard the drum, it might not be sounding now.

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  13. I love the story you wove.

    I did some of the dVerse quadrilles some years ago. Rereading those poems now, I find them rather slight. Some people do wonders with the form, but that particular length doesn't seem to work for me.

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  14. Bravo! i loved this. Great story, Great write!

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  15. Vivid--I feel like this is something that I should have heard under an oak when I was younger. :)

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  16. absolutely loved this haunting story!

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  17. I love the story and the way you have expressed it. I enjoyed reading your poem.

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  18. The drum that wouldn't quite be silenced. Yes, this is slightly over 44. Did the title count? :)
    ..

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