Here's a backstory poem for the husband of last week's poem narrator, and the step father of this narrator. Luther is a fur trapper in the northern New Brunswick woods. It's the 1830's, and he lives an isolated life in their cabin, especially when winter sets in and they are unable to leave for weeks at a time.
Discovered Too Late
I vowed to be the hero of her life
The morning that I saw her with her son
Tears rose inside as she became my wife
No longer widow - bride again, fears done
I showed the little fella how to hunt
We waited till he was asleep to lay
Together. Or I took her, to be blunt
The months passed, still not in the family way
I thought he’d be a brother to my own
The years passed, for the two of them and me
How easy it would be if he were known
The ghostly man between us she could see
Much easier to swing and hear the thwack
Each time I eased my hatred cross his back
- Copyright - Julia Smith - 2008
Painting - At River's Edge by Russ Docken
I could hear his thoughts. That ending took me by surprise..
ReplyDeleteignomorous ignominy
Wow. Yeah the end threw me. I wanted to know more.
ReplyDeleteI haven't been by to read one of your poems in a while. Just fantastic, Julia!
ReplyDeleteAnother great poem, Julia. :)
ReplyDeleteWow, Julia. Way to go. The rhythm and rhyme schemes are flawless.
ReplyDeleteOkay, I knew about the ending from last week's poem, but I hadn't been expecting the WHY of it so clearly. He's very aware of what he's doing, and I'm fascinated by that.
ReplyDeleteWhat a neat character. I want to see more of him because he seems so very unique -- because of his self-awareness.
Ah, now we know his reasons for beating the child, but it doesn't excuse it. Great stuff Julia.
ReplyDeleteEerie feeling this one gave me. Such gentleness and hatred mingling together.
ReplyDeletetragic poem to go with last week's, but very cool and apt graphic.
ReplyDeletenow the only POV you haven't covered yet among the trio is that of the son/stepson. next week?
M - I've linked all three at the top of today's post. The link that says "this narrator" is the step-son's poem.
ReplyDeleteBut here it is again:
That Dream Again
Yep at first I thought he was happy to have them and was surprised by the ending.
ReplyDeleteHmmm how to tell a backwoodsman it's his fault in that department. ;)
Love to go back in time and tell King Henry the Eighth that.
The hatred is the key
ReplyDeleteA great poem Julia, you've expressed his conflicted emotions very clearly.
ReplyDeleteWow! Interesting to read his point of view for sure, even if the ending also surprised me.
ReplyDeletewow this is painful
ReplyDeleteas a poem it works w/or w/o knowing the previous poems.
very powerful. breathtaking. serious.
Yeah, the ending took my by surprise, too. But I was the steptdaughter of a man like that.
ReplyDelete