The Rainbow

The rain came down in swirls that day,

The rain came down in sheets,

We sat in the back of the S.U.V.

As the rain, it turned to sleet.

‘I think it’ll show by Bleddows Hill

When the storm decides to pass’,

 I said to Ben as the clock struck ten

From the tower of Gormenghast!

 

I set the G.P.S. to range,

And checked the lat. and long.,

I’d bought a second-hand S.D.A.*

To track it, right or wrong,

The rain kept up its steady beat

The clouds were dull and grey,

For never a beam of moon or sun

Had shown, for many a day!

 

‘You’d better go wait in the Jeep,’ I said,

‘And turn your mobile on,

Be ready to move at the speed of light

At the first bright glimpse of the sun,

 For no-one’s uncovered the pot of gold

That lies at the end of the bow,

It’s led them a merry dance,’ I said,

‘But now, at last, we’ll know!’

 

So Ben sat up in the Jeep, he did,

But wet, and drenched to the bone,

I got the feeling he’d rather be

Asleep, in bed, at home!

We sat for over an hour out there,

In wait, for the sun to shine,

While I took notes from the G.P.S.

As it helped to pass the time.

 

Then out from a gap in a darkening cloud

A beam shone out, from the sun,

The air was suddenly light and clear

And the rain was almost gone,

A coloured bow shot over the hill

And into the air, at last,

It curved toward the village to point

At the tower of Gormenghast!

 

I spat the figures to Ben on the phone

And the Jeep leapt over the hill,

I kept the bow on the G.P.S.,

And tracked its movement well;

‘It only moves if I follow it,

It stays if I hold it still…’

We thought that science had tamed the way

That a rainbow rose, and fell!

 

Ben chased the bow to the village street

To the tower of Gormenghast,

Where the S.D.A. had pinned it down

With the G.P.S. at last,

And he dug and dug, ‘til an earthen pot

Lay there with the note it spilled,

Inscribed: ‘This is the poor man’s end;

The rich bit’s over the hill!’

 

David Lewis Paget

 

*Soldiers Digital Assistant " a device used to track

ground and air objects via GPS.

Reviews

[Tate Morgan]

I would expect nothing less than this from you I love this internal rhyming and play. I read it get caught up in the cadence and Off I go into your world Its as if you left the door open And I rearranged the furniture. The end is always a shock to me I never get it right and I get a funny feeling of damn he beat me again I cant believe I have never been able to out think your idea.I use to read Sherlock Holmes and at times figured the end correct.I have never been able to out you or figure you out Bravo you are one of a kind .

[Lena M. P.]

Great story. The irony was wonderful and had me smiling. I loved how you modernized the story with the GPS. Another 100!

[Valentine]

You have me laughing out loud at this ones finish..You aresuch a terrific writer David..LOl and God bless....I am slowly getting better...Kathie

[Mark]

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory, a song I know very well...but then, them pesky leprechauns were always renowned for their perverse sense of humor, now weren't they? A real knee-slapper, old man--if I've learned anything by being a devout Pagetite, I've learned the good guy never wins--there is always a turn, all you have to do is wait for it!