Nannerl on Wolfi's Tour through Italy
For audiences it was the wonder of it.
Wolfi, who could believe children
could play so beautifully,
five and eleven year olds
playing harpsichord and violin
as well as anyone?
We created a language
for our imaginary Kingdom of Back,
our words as mysterious
to adults as fireflies’ flashing signals.
It helped to pass the time
as Vienna, Augsburg, Versailles, Paris
rambled by our carriage.
And now that you and Papa
are on a glorious tour through Italy,
my days spent teaching piano lessons
to help pay for your trip--
Mama and me left behind
to spare expenses--I wonder, Wolfi,
what will happen to us?
You are watching fireworks over Vienna tonight
while Mama piles my hair in this dusky apartment.
The distance between your future and mine
is growing. I am like a firefly
at the other end of a meadow, your end lit
by the lights of Europe's finest rooms,
too bright for a firefly's notes
to reach her dear brother,
once ruler of the Kingdom
of Back
Nannerl on Wolfi’s Tour Through Italy
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Re: Nannerl on Wolfi’s Tour Through Italy
Nicely done especially with the firefly metaphor. I would change king and kingdom in last paragraph as redundant Maybe king/land or something
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Re: Nannerl on Wolfi’s Tour Through Italy
Thx, Ken, for the suggestion...will do
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Re: Nannerl on Wolfi’s Tour Through Italy
Hi Bob,
paracosm, the imaginary worlds of Angria & Gondal, and the genius of the Brontë children springs to mind, esp Emily & Branwell,
the artist & pentimento in this sibling canvas:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brontë_fa ... stored.jpg
workshop share as:
The distance between your future and mine
is widening. I am like a firefly
at one end of a meadow, your end lit
^^ possible for "firefly" not to appear 2x
it's not striking twice; yet maybe along the lines as:
by the lights of Europe's finest rooms,
too bright to strike twice
to reach the once brother-ruler
of the Kingdom
of Back
Michael (MV)
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- Joined: 03 Jun 2016, 21:03
Re: Nannerl on Wolfi’s Tour Through Italy
Thx everyone for sharing! I appreciate it
Re: Nannerl on Wolfi’s Tour Through Italy
I especially like, ‘mama piles my hair in this dusky apartment.’ The story flows well, I was also bothered some by the multiples of firefly. Great poem.