Woman in Black

‘Come out, come out!’ I whispered to her,

‘Come out from your padded walls,

There’s a world of love that waits you here,

There are hills and waterfalls,

The sky is blue in the summertime

And the swallows dive in the field,

Come out, come out,’ I knocked at her door,

But the door was barred and sealed.

 

‘You were bright and gay just yesterday,

When we walked in the park at noon,

You chattered in your excited way

Of your plans for the month of June,

You picked a posy of buttercups

And you plaited them into your hair,

Then skipped and danced as the breeze came up

For the joy of the day out there.’

 

‘So why have you barred your door to me

When my love is fastened on you,

What has become of our reverie

That you said was more than my due?

You’ve locked yourself in a gloomy room

At the end of an ancient hall,

What in the world’s come over you…’

‘I stare at a crystal ball!’

 

Her voice came echoing through the door,

In the tone of a girl who’d cried,

Her sobs seeped up from the oaken floor

Of the room where she sat, inside,

‘The world outside is a sham,’ she said,

‘The meadows are barren and dry,

And over all like a leaden pall

Is the arch of a greying sky.’

 

I went to say that it wasn’t so

But a cloud had covered the sun,

And out beyond me the fields were dry

The river had ceased to run,

The swallows, building their nests had gone

Where the sun still shone at noon,

Shadows formed, and my face was grim

As my soul was steeped in gloom.

 

‘What did you see in the crystal ball?’

I said, with a tongue so dry,

‘I saw our love to the end of it,’

She said, and started to cry,

‘I saw the woman in black that came

To shatter our marriage vow,

And tasted blood on the lip you split

That once you had kissed, ‘til now.’

 

‘That crystal ball is a lie,’ I said,

‘For none of it’s happened yet,

You’re looking far to a future that

My love will make you forget.’

But overhead was a thundercloud

And lightning shattered a tree,

While thunder rumbled and shook the ground

As if to admonish me.

 

‘I’ll always love you,’ I shouted out,

But then it began to rain,

The thunder clattered and drowned me out,

And all I could feel was pain,

I begged my lover to let me in

But she just ignored my pleas,

And then I noticed a woman in black

Watching me through the trees!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Ocean]

The truth of the message here is that it reveals what is in our heart. We have all had stray thoughts and believed they couldn't be read by anyone but what we fail to remember is, what is in our heart shines through the window of our eyes. True love doesn't shy away but openly shines through those windows but when love is false then the shutters close and lovers can no longer bathe in the warmth. They don't need words because they sense the betrayal. Lovely poem reflecting deep understanding.

[Patricia B. Hepler]

Expert reviews! I agree with each-
Excellent work, sir.
*pat

[Ravyne Hawke]

What a brilliant tale. When I think of a woman in black, I always think of someone in mourning, which of course this entire poem presents.. two in mourning for a love that cannot be. Loved this so much, David.

[Mic]

Very good story, David. I'm with Annie, seems he's killed her love for him and comes to the slow realization of what he's done. Not sure if this was to be taken literally and he's actually physically abused her, but would seem so.

Very well done, David.

[Lena M. P.]

If only we had a crystal balls to avoid the heartache. However, then we would also miss the passion that was ours for awhile. Very well written David. This flowed so well.

[Anniebugg]

I love the simplicity of this on the surface. Two people who were once very happy together until something happened to turn it 180 degrees to its end. But I love the complexity of it even more. In the beginning he's pleading with her to come out from the place where she is locked away. He can't understand why she is gone from him when previously she was happy, even making plans for June. And it's all because she has foreseen that their lives together would become grey and gloomy; in fact everything came to a halt, as if death had overcome her/him/them.
She sees "the woman in black that came to shatter our marriage vow." And he's bloodied her lip (hurt her in some way). Then he speaks of lightening and thunder that seem to admonish him. So he did something he shouldn't have done. He feels pain then, pleads with her to let him in but she ignores him as he sees a woman in black.
So I get the feeling that he killed her and she herself is the woman in black (a sign of a widow in mourning). Another thought I had was that she went insane and that's why she was locked away. That the woman in black who shattered their marriage vows was someone he had an affair with. And her speaking of her bloodied lip was the hurt that he caused.
I really enjoyed this David... made me think a lot and that can't be bad. It flows beautifully, rhymes nicely and is, as usual, well written.

[Rene Velez]

Fine poem indeed....

[Tate Morgan]

Every winter I get this feeling that the sun has gone into hiding and the trees are barren as well.If I read this right a fight between these two led to their disillusionment.By god you can sure tell a tale of misery so fine. There seems to be no end to your ability to see into the soul of man. laced with the tell tale signs of Paget. I have a feeling your pen could shame the reaper himself.

[jkhatz]

I'm not pandering, I promise, I just know that every time I open one of your pieces I will be struck by a level of writing and story telling rarely seen on this site. You have yet to fail to impress me with your command. Sir, I'll relinquish the helm any day to your brilliance.

[A.r. Bazian]

Good God!
i find myself entangled again in the genius of your pen strokes! your melody! your game! your mind! your fame!
i mean... you're just a God!
Rhyme and Imagery come as easy to you as anything else!
astonishing