My servant, with an ashen face,
Come lately from the market place,
Said, “Lend to me your horse to ride
To Samarra, where I will hide!
Dear Mistress, in the market throng
I felt a jostle, and sidelong
I glanced into a baleful glare –
It was Queen Death whom I met there!
Here in Baghdad she will find me.
To seek a sanctuary I’ll flee
To Samarra!”
Upon my horse she sped away,
And I, with even less delay
Down to the market place I went.
I found Queen Death and begged, “Relent
O noble Queen. My servant spare,
Turn not on her your fatal stare!”
The Monarch made a puzzled frown
And said, “But here in Baghdad town
I never thought to lay my sight
On one whom I will meet tonight…
In Samarra!”
Author notes
I wrote this for my AP friend Eusebius. It is loosely based on W Somerset Maugham's vignette "Appointment in Samarra".
Written October 15th, 2006
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Comments
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I had fun with this one, Belle, rising to Michael's challenge. Thanks.
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I like the classics feel of this, the archaic language, the narrative format, the old world feel. Superb! My best,
Belle
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Poe, you flatter me, and I am not ungrateful. But if WSM had not thought of the story, I doubt if I could have written the poem. Thank you for your praise.
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Death and destiny, can one out-run the other? maybe if you
hobble death,, then you can. Every part of this story, sings..
how lyrical of you.. it just flowed off the page and into my
mind and now it's rolling around, like a wayward marble, stuck
inside my head.. but I don't mind, it can keep those tumble
weeds company that blow gently by, in that great empty cavern that I call my head.
lapoe.
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Yes, just for you, Michael. And I loved doing it. The main challenge was rendering something so economically told as the original in an even more economical manner. I have, most obviously, feminized all the characters, but I believe I have told the same story in my own way. I am glad you liked it.
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For me--I blush! You have done the Maugham piece justice! Excellent as always.
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The rhythm and rhyme just seemed to suggest themsleves to me. They kept the flow or the narrative terse and economic. Glad you liked it.
Edited on Oct 16, 4:29 because 'mis-typed'. -
I quite like your telling of this fable here. Your rhyme and slightly singsong rhythm give the tale a refreshing twist.
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thank you, Janet
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LOL and well said
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Ma, it will indeed!
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Well I did it in answer to a personal challenge, KB. The original vignette was scarcely longer than this. I am glad you found it readable.
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cool and interesting. death will come when its time arrives.
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A very interesting write, was easy to read and you have told a story very well. Thank you for sharing this.
*Ktulu Blackwolfe* -
Thank you
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This is so interesting, I have not read Maugham's viginette on the topic. Your poem tells the story very well, you can't run away from death! Nicely done.
Moonshine Pixie
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