The 18th Century in Black and White

by Xanthe   Dec 15, 2012


I found the street in daylight,
walked on its moss-throttled flagstone,
found strangers averting their eyes,
smiled upon unknown faces; ignored.
I sauntered through dark avenues,
turned one too many rain-bleached
corners, kicked black pebbles, white
pebbles until came I upon a portrait
of silent tragedy:

she stared, as though blind,
paraffin lanterns of my mind cluttered,
crackled; dead.
She stood 'neath a grey sun. She
stood - nary a smile on her face. She stood,
clasping her hands.

Passersby blurred; bystanders ebbed
with a current so trivial - trifling - they were!
And she stood, significant for once,
but only to me, just me.

Four francs.

Four francs for black eyes. Four francs
for white skies. Four francs for grey
travelers. Four francs upon my bare wall.

And away, I went.

120912
Written for a club challenge.

Based on this picture:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jackie_brand/6891264827/

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Latest Comments

  • 12 years ago

    by Hellon

    I found your title to be so intriguing.....why the 18th century I wonder?

    I have no idea why you could get a poem as wonderful as this from the picture you provided....I have to say my mind is in a total spin after reading the title,poem then observing the picture link.....all I can say is Wow....I just can't find any other word and....that's definately not like me...this poem is brilliant in my opinion!

    • 12 years ago

      by Xanthe

      Thank you, everyone :)

  • 12 years ago

    by Baby Rainbow

    Love this poem Xanthe, your language just makes your poems so exciting to read and they really draw you in and grasp your attention. There is nothing cliche in any of your writes, your word usage is so unique to only you. I love this.

    This poem was very clever, the picture is very interesting and I got from the picture and the poem how quick this little moment passed through your life. Your ending made me think of the speed that comes from the picture, the blurriness of it, implying speedily people busying through their routine day.

    I loved this, well done for creating yet another masterpiece.

  • 12 years ago

    by Hannah Lizette

    Sigh...I love this.
    You done so great with the challenge, you really took the readers inside the picture. It's so clever.

  • 12 years ago

    by Hannah Lizette

    Sigh...I love this.
    You done so great with the challenge, you really took the readers inside the picture. It's so clever.

  • 12 years ago

    by L

    What I love about this piece is the way it's written, it took me into the picture. I was observing based on your words as well as the picture what you were saying. I simply love the approach you took. Plus, You took advantage of the picture's effect to narrate what you were doing per se, I just like it as well as the title, it goes well with the vocab used in the poem.

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