Ballad for Bienvenue or My Weary Traveller

Thy weary traveller,

come and rest hither.

Do not waste time!

Make haste!

for, does thy see,

the rain pelting thither?

Ah!

Have you been drenched?

I see your soul,

is soggy, heavy,

what made it forbore?

Tell me,

who shall say?

When, when ever is a man truly free?

When, when shall justice, forsooth, give man his freedom?

I see, sir, you are a brigand.

 It matters not, everything is the same.

We are all equal,

in the arch above,

my brother, do you fear me?

Who says, why should I you?

Do you stand? Stand and shiver of fear?

Why! I think we should trust one another.

Someone told so once,

that the heaven streets were paved

in gold.

I bequeath thee silver,

yet it is but a memorandum,

brother...

Receive this silver,

as a token.

If the streets are paved, but..

then indeed;

a good shining sea,

from where good angels drink.

Must be of glistering silver.

It is not bad, then it might be received.

If thy shall take thou drink,

than thy shall be evil nevermore. 

Author's Note

I wrote this poem based on Bishop Bienvenu, or Myriel’s meeting of Jean Valjean from Les Miserables, the ending, I tried summing up what he told Valjean after he had stolen the silver. I tried to tell it without entirely appropriating, that heart wrenching quote. The “silver” meaning the candlesticks, and I made a reference back to “ the streets paved of gold” then the gold is good ( because it’s in heaven), but what is heaven in silver? Water appears silvery sometimes, doesn’t it? Then that makes it good. If someone will drink from a “good” sea, then they must be angels to? Angels make no sins or evil. If Valjean excepts the silver, or “ drinks from the good sea”, he mustn't be evil. The book quotes something like: “ With this silver I have ransomed your soul and I give it back to God, you belong no more to evil.” - this isn’t the actual quote, that is much of it as I could recall.

Reviews

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Who says, why should I you?

I so loved how this part is wrote, Simply astounding!
I like this write on so many levels.
I like what you had to say in the authors note as well.
Nicely written.