Birds of a Feather

I have always been unstable

Since that day in fifty-three

When a bolt of lightning lit me

In that poor old acorn tree,

When the tree split down the middle

Taking my half to the ground,

And that clap of awful thunder

Left me lying, with no sound.

I was dazed and fazed and humbled

In a new but silent world,

While my brain had seemed to tumble

As my mind and vision whirled,

I could see a host of demons

Grinning down and mocking me,

From the topmost of the branches

That remained, within that tree.

While my hearing soon recovered

I was suffering from shock,

And could hear the voices whispering

Behind the mantle clock,

And I’d catch a glimpse of shadows

At the corner of each eye,

As they whispered, ‘Did we get him,’ and,

‘Is he about to die?’

So I grew up feeling paranoid

For others couldn’t see,

All the movements in the shadows

That were now surrounding me,

And they couldn’t hear the whispers

In the pillow as I slept,

That would tease and taunt, torment me

Till I woke, and sat and wept.

Then I made a friend called Jenny

Who had issues of her own,

She’d burnt out her brain on acid

Till her wits and mind had flown,

We were two birds of a feather

As we huddled in our den,

And exchanged our sights and whispers

From beyond the world of men.

But I thanked the lord for Jenny

For his largesse from above,

Though her pound was like a penny

Still, I think I fell in love,

We could manage all our demons

If we held each other tight,

Though our oranges were lemons

We still made love every night.

We would often go out walking

In the country for the air,

Although still our shades and whispers, they

Would follow us out there,

Then beside an old canal one day

The water sparkled bright.

 And Jenny stood transfigured at

That awesome, magic sight.

‘I think I’ll walk on water,’ was

The last thing that she said,

Then stepping off the towpath in

A moment, she was dead,

I reached, and tried to reel her in

By tugging at her hair,

But she remained face down, and left me

Deep in my despair.

My voices have deserted me,

My shades, they never come,

I sit here in my silent world

Ignoring everyone,

They say it’s shock and horror

That has put me in this trance,

My mind is full of Jenny now

And all we do is dance.

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Susan 🦋]

A story poem I didn't want to end...plays out all in my minds eye. Wonderful imagery surrounded by feelings of pure joy to despair.Jenny! What was she thinking! I enjoyed reading this poem of yours very much.

[VALORMORE DE PLUME]

Love the wit. This is both funny and sad.