The Picnic in the Wood

It was Sunday, after vespers

In the town of Montauban,

Where the Seminary Deacons walked

Along the tree-lined strand,

While two girls were sipping latté

At the Café Belle Amie,

Watching all the black-robed brothers

As they passed, but covertly!

 

‘Don’t you think he’s very handsome?’

Sighed the girl called Mirabel,

As the brother Michael passed them,

Turned his head, and gave a smile,

While Georgette had sat and giggled,

Put her hand up to her mouth:

‘Don’t you think it’s rather wicked,

Tempting priests to break a vow!’

 

Mirabel had raised an eyebrow

And stared archly at her friend,

‘Isn’t that the main attraction,

Tempting vows that never mend?

I once overheard my mother

Tell her sister, Aunt Denise,

‘You will never know seduction

If you’ve not seduced a priest!’’

 

It was autumn in the country

And the leaves lay all around,

Making pathways sere and golden

With their passing, on the ground,

And the woods that lay by Montauban

Were like some lovers' dell,

That these girls had often wandered,

And the nooks, they knew too well.

 

When Mirabel had smiled, coquettish

At the novice priest,

He’d stopped, and turned to join them,

Chatted low, but quite at ease,

‘I have filled a picnic basket,

Pink champagne and sweet baguettes,

I intend to go tomorrow,

Come along, and be my guest.’

 

Then he pointed to the pathway

That led deep into the wood,

‘We can have a pleasant day of fun,

And stuff ourselves with food;

I have seven different cheeses

Camembert and Brie de Meaux,

Some Gruyère and Mimolette…’

Then Mirabel said: ‘Yes, I’ll go!’

 

Her friend shrank back, and shivered,

Mirabel had caught her eye,

‘Don’t you crash my little party…’

It had said, and she knew why!

There would be more fun and frolics

Than the novice would suspect,

When her friend returned tomorrow

With his celibacy wrecked!

 

But seven days went by, there was

No sign of Mirabel,

Then Michael came, and said that she

Was called to aunt Giselle;

It seems she’d had a fit, and Mirabel

Had caught the train,

She wouldn’t be around for weeks

Her aunt lived in Lorraine!’

 

Georgette was disappointed

She had hoped to see her friend,

But Michael stayed and chatted

And he charmed her, in the end,

He said it was Georgette that had

Attracted him that night,

But Mirabel jumped in too quick,

And put his plans to flight.

 

The girl felt more than flattered,

She was always in the shade,

For Mirabel had always picked

The best of who they laid,

So when he made his offer

That a picnic would be right,

She blushed, and then she stammered,

‘I’d be honoured - if you like!’

 

The woods that lie by Montauban

Took on their winter shroud,

The weeks went by, and neither girl

Returned to join the crowd.

The vermin had been busy

On their bones, deep in the wood,

Had eaten what virginity

Was left, with Michael's food!

 

And Michael, his Hail Mary’s

In his Seminary cell,

Had brought him more than comfort,

They had saved his soul from hell,

For no-one, he reflected,

Could tell anybody now,

He’d kept his love protected

And his celibacy vow!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[zainul]

Perhaps there is a sleeping evil with everyone.
A serpent provokes the evil to do harm.
The evil in Mirabel seduced and the evil in Michael reduced her to the food of vermin.
The evil in Georgette played differently and faced the same fate of Mirabel.
I congratulate David for presenting yet another captivating piece.
My explanation is my own.
Not sure how correctly theorized it!

[That_Girl]

Well written. I like that you left the end somewhat open for each reader to interpret on their own.

[Debbie_Philly]

Very powerful and deep piece... the story is very intriguing..... makes the reader want to know what will happen next... even though we think we know...love all of the little things like the food they ate and the french influence added allot to the feel and putting the reader right there... and the last two stanza's... Brilliant !! Really a great piece !!

[Marie]

I had a feeling about this poem from the first--I did not know how all would end, but I knew it would end badly. It was worse than I thought. Not the ballad of course; the ballad was brilliant. So, in a way, was Michael...

[Falling Leaf.]

A great, strong storyline throughout. I loved it! The only thing I noticed was "Were like some lovers dell" should that be lovers' ? I don't know, maybe there shouldn't be an apostrophe there; my grammar isn't perfect. Anyway, a great poem! Great job!

[Cole Hayley]

A haunting narrative delevered in such an enticing poem. Very well done, all across the board. I love the way how you tell a story in this abab format without every missing a step, once again amazing David.

[Clayton Bardwell]

Wicked is as wicked does.

[V.J.C.]

I always enjoy the story within the poem, that was an interesting one. Thank you for a great read.

[cynthiabuhainbaello]

Whatever happened to the girls? Such an intriguing narrative with an open-ended climax. I marvel at the development of the characters and the story flow - and questions come in between the lines as to the real "piety" of such a novice of priesthood. The ending leaves the reader with a calculation and conclusion as to what happened with the planned picnic/seduction. "The vermin had been busy on their bones deep in the wood" provides one with a ghastly speculation beyond belief. A very brilliant mystery indeed!

[BlackRose]

Once again LOVE it and it SUPERB! Wonderful story. one I would not mine reading ever if was made into a book. To me you never disappoint.

[Distant horizons]

Wonderful storytelling. flows so naturally and the pace is perfect.