The Scarecrow's Lament (Final Version)

Same theme, but nothing left of the original but it's sentiment

Wakker! Do you hear 

What I hear here --

What may never pass this way again 

Along the saltpetred rows Wotan scoured of sprigs 

All those years ago -- when 

Empires succumbed to madness and 

Marched a coeval’s best 

And brightest of jaunty blades 

Through the plougher’s calefactory 

To satisfy their hieratic impulses. 

Sift the soil, that reactant brew 

Of the careless and carefree 

Sons so keen to lend their lungs 

To the tumult of an age’s irascible cholera --

Breath the mocking putrescence 

Of the black-pitched loam, 

The unbridled exuberance of limbs 

Being churned to fother 

To dress the old w****s longing 

A new map to cover their decrepit bones -- 

If you care to know 

What lies lay beneath the ache I’ve waked 

All these years for Terra Mater --

Sink yourself into the foie de gloire, 

Youth’s perpetual yenning to martyr 

Themselves for ancient grievances,

To adorn their cherubic brows 

With celestial escapades … 

But Walker, if you dare 

Come this way …  

Take heed of my furrowed rows, 

These gaping hollows so foully seeded --

For only bones will ever grow here.   

Ken e Bujold

Reviews

[Ken Simm.]

A complex, intelligent poem full of history folk lore atmosphere and mystery. Just the way I like them.

[emmajoygreen]

Seems what is fixed in place, never weathering, relies on the viewer to form his or her own opinion of why and what your broad range or words and phrases are describing the past yet highlighting the one who protects and preserves. There are layers to your words and thus your thoughts, maybe meant to enhance your intention, maybe meant to bewilder so as to inspire more thought. Thinking the latter,

'Sink yourself into the foie de gloire,
Youth’s perpetual yenning to martyr
Themselves for ancient grievances,
To adorn their cherubic brows
With celestial escapades … '

[Lorry]

Well this is brilliant Ken and all I can think of is that feathered sentry, shaking its head at man's inhumanity to everything that isn't him.
And I have just read it again and have no clue why I pictured a bird being the sentry, judging our inhumanity to all, but the next time I see a landed crow looking in my direction, I shall think of this. 😊

[FGFRANKLIN]

This was a far out read. Some fantastic wielding of words, the parry and thrust cutting into our conscience like a sword. I enjoyed the read.

[W. Barrett Munn]

Well this is a master class on how to construct a poem. Thanks for the lesson.

Winston

[1809 Black Plague Decem..]

Dear, Ken e Bujold, love this poem, I like the fact of a walker,
and it's diligence to cholera, great write Dear, :P

[Chris Shaw]

I saw that scarecrow on guard over furrowed fields. A peaceful scene and contemplated the violence of the past and what remains buried below ground. You had me thinking of the Romans and both the positives and negatives of their invasion of my country. They didn’t venture into Scotland. Considered the Scots barbarians. A couple of years ago, went to visit a dig in farm fields near home. Exposed fabulous mosaic flooring. So beautifully crafted. Thanks Ken. My visit here enjoyed.


Chris

[Ken e Bujold]

Thanks for visit Chris. This and Brooding Soldier my contemplation of man's perpetual follies in seeking glory at the blunt end of force. Soldier looks to more recent WWI while this one a little more to the universal side. Scarecrow's been watching us plow his fields since we first learn to plant.