A Long Time Ago

An old high school "found poem" assignment based on the Great Gatsby. A found poem is using lines from the book and relating them in a fresh way. Credit of individual lines to F. Scott Fitzgerald.

Five years ago,

The sidewalk was white with moonlight,

The cool night with a mysterious excitement,

A humming out into the darkness,

A stir and bustle among the stars.

Five years ago,

He knew once

Unutterable visions ---

He had climbed alone

A ladder to a secret place,

He had waited,

Listened,

Kissed her.

Daisy blossomed.

The incarnation was complete.

His mind would never romp again like God.

Five years

An appalling sentimentality,

An elusive rhythm,

A fragment of lost words,

A long time ago.

Author's Note

As I'm sure many high schoolers (and college students) have read this book a thousand times. With every repetition I've grown to appreciate this book more.

Reviews

[barleygirl]

Since I'm old, I only have a sketchy memory of this classic book. I'm glad, becuz your poem does not need any prior knowledge. I enjoyed just reading it as if it were about some life experience of yours. You have drawn a universal picture of how such memories can go. I love the repeated statements about how long ago five years was *smile* (((HUGS))) Fondly, Margie

[Chryiss]

I still remember how happy I was when this assignment was given in class. There were so many phrases that I loved in the book, and I was enchanted by the theme of a lost dream/blinded by the dream in a harsh new reality. So, a found poem let me highlight these phrasings and theme.
Thank you for stopping by and imparting your words! :)

[Lea Sheryn]

You have a wonderful imagination and use the full scope of your knowledge of the subject to create a complete thought.

[jacob erin-cilberto]

it is quite the novel, and you have done quite a good job of splicing the lines together so that the rhythm/ flow and the theme of your poem makes perfect sense and sounds like a tightly woven unit.

ah, that secret place...
j.

[Chryiss]

That was the hope :) Thank you!

[Anjeline]

I have not read the book but your poem is lovely and the way it is written is compelling me to read the book also. I really liked the line- A stir and bustle among the stars. Great work 👍

[Chryiss]

Thank you!
That was one of my favorite phrases in the book! :)

[¿]

Though I couldn't read that book ever, I loved reading this assignment cum poem!
I thank you for letting me know bout the real source of this poem...also for collecting the main feelings of that book and condensing that into this lovely piece....
Then and now has got much differences and distance between them...Then is a wonderful place to be recalled and now is to make immortal memories again and to live. ..do let me know if there's more that I can grasp from this beautiful piece :)
Thanks so much for sharing this dear Chryiss..Be blessed :)

[...]

Elusive capture of one moment . Influence of own ego and own fate. Moment pass but still this moment is with him. Magic of life and magic of lost. I am not really good at reviews but this is what i feel from your poem and i like it.

[Chryiss]

A review can simply be about what you felt, so you're quite fine! :) You actually hit the nail on the head! That one moment that Gatsby was seeking..that magic of life which was lost!

[...]

Sometimes we get it point even without trying. I was start given reviews like poetry. Which i found more truthful to me then any analysis or lliteral scechemes. So next time i will write poem for any of your poems i will like to review. Hoipefuly it will works.

[Chryiss]

Interesting, that's a wonderful way to write a review, through a poem! I'm sure it'll be lovely, but no pressure to make it a poem, just whatever comes to mind~

[...]

I wiill try tonight don't worry there is no pressure in it. I write poems cause through them i can express myself more then in any other form of human comunnication.

[Chryiss]

True, true~ ok! :)

[John the Baptist]

Poor Gatsby. He wanted so badly to be upper class, but reality inevitably caught up with him. The imagery in this one is excellent and the spare delivery very effective. A picture of frustrated love.

[Chryiss]

Yes, poor Gatsby. Out of all those wretched creatures (I say that with love), at least he still had that bit of light left in him.. that lighthouse which drowned him rather than saved him.

Thank you! I can't take the full credit for all the imagery--as a found poem, these are technically all of Fitzgerald's words lol--but I'm glad the recreation could paint that picture of frustrated love.