The Great Fitzgerald

I'm not sure if F. Scott actually did something like this, it's just a rumour but I still got a free book

I'm at the bookstore by the river that I always go to

The drunk salesman who only talks to me if I buy expensive books smiled at me this time

He's a handsome guy with his green eyes

He reached for the computer and opened Edith Piaf as usual

And I headed towards the shelves

I saw The Great Gatsby and sighed and mumbled " agh men!"

He came to me with his green eyes lost in the smell of wine

"What have we done again?"

I said "F.Scott stole Zelda's words"

He just looked at me with a grin

I continued telling him

"Scott wrote this book by stealing quotes from Zelda's diary

And he didn't want Zelda to mention him in Save Me The Waltz."

Without answering, he took the book from my hand and went to where the pencils were

He took a black pencil and scribbled the cover of the book

And wrote a name on it in terrible handwriting

"Zelda Fitzgerald"

He handed me the book and smiled and said

"If Scott got anywhere by stealing Zelda's words

you should give The Great Fitzgerald a chance"

Reviews

[Coyote Poetry]

I would like to have a drunk book salesman. Could be a good conversation. I would like to work in a bookstore. Discuss books all day. I liked the tale dear Beren. A perfect ending. Thank you for sharing the amazing and entertaining poetry.
Coyote

[Beren]

Thank you so much sir! That place is really feel like home to me, so cozy by the river.
Glad you liked it, I appreciate it!

[The Twin Arenas]

Nicely laid out. I like the way "What have we done again?" looks. Only critique that jumps out in terms of basic structure would be getting rid of the capital People in the last line, but that just might be a question of personal taste. Keep it up.

[Beren]

opps, that capital letter has nothing to do with taste, I completely missed it! I'm so glad you liked it. thank you for your visit!

[Thomas W Case]

I've been watching that series about them with Christine Ricci. Powerful stuff. Great writing. You bring this to life.

[Beren]

I haven't watched that series yet! I will definitely watch it. Thank you so much sir!

[emmajoygreen]

A story is a story is a story.. one phrase leads to another ad infinitum. Who makes what, who disagrees and so forth, Beren: you have set the ball rolling when it comes to discussion about man versus woman in any field!

[Beren]

Hahaha, at the end of the day we are smart women who know what they want, right? Thank you so so much for taking time to read and comment! Hope you are welll!

[emmajoygreen]

Smiling whilst I have a little time = today is only half a day to spare! You've been busy with letters, my friend... need reserve a week to read so much
of the business you've posted! Well-ness has escaped me this month so.. am looking to both the Flora and Strawberry month. Stay happy - comme ca = :)))

[Beren]

Please don't spend time on these, I will only send you poems that I want you to feel good about after reading them. It seems like everyone is getting sick during this seasonal transition. I am extremely sick too. Take care dear Emma!

[emmajoygreen]

So very sorry to read you're extremely sick.. hope you have some meds from a doctor if that ill.. you really should, PLEASE.

[Beren]

I will. Thank you Emma! Take care

[Billy]

I like the storyline you have created in this poem. I think there may be a few things going on at the same time. I will read again to find what connections can be made between the book and the central characters.

[Beren]

Yes there is! Thank you so much for taking time to read and comment! Welcome here.

[Billy]

May I ask a question? Does the drunk salesman represent the duel nature of god in this Gatsby-related poem? I am hazily remembering the ‘eyes of god’ watching the moral decay and debauched drunkenness of the town. I am also remembering the green light on the dock and how it represented Gatsby’s hopes and dreams. So I was wondering, is that was why the salesman’s eyes are green in your story?

[Beren]

yes! that was a parallel, F.Scott Fitzgerald's book known for green lights and stuff. to be honest the story is real, the salesman is like that, and he is drunk and has green eyes. i didn't mention him being drunk for the book, I mostly focused on my storytelling maybe, but this is hella nice that you think that! Thank you for this view!
and there is a song lyrics inspired me to write this "About those eyes
The shade of green that if he’d seen
Would make F. Scott Fitzgerald cry"

Thank you for this! Made my day!

[Billy]

Thank you for taking the time to explain this. That is a quite surreptitious set of circumstances. I wonder if you agree that your poem works on a different level if you think of the salesman as representing this god figure? To my mind he seems to be creating mischief in a world he has created, in this case the bookstore.

[Beren]

Isn't it great that everyone interprets poems from their own perspective?
When we think of the salesman as a god figure, the poem takes on a whole new dimension, and that's wonderful. and even if we think of him as a character in a book, it becomes more meaningful that he blackens and changes the author's name. Since I write in my own narrow world of thought, I cannot discover much as a reader.

[Billy]

Yes, it really is great. I believe it’s the sign of interesting poetry that it can be interpreted in different ways and doesn’t suffer for it. Your poem doesn’t read like a narrow world of thought to my mind. There’s many possibilities to explore within it.

[Beren]

Well, if we look at that character as a god figure, which singer would you find logical for him to open? In my story in 2025 it is Edith Piaf, but let's imagine that he is the figure between the green lights. Which singer would it be?

[Billy]

I wanted to ask about the Edith Piaf choice, however, I think that is answered in the story being real.

[Beren]

You can see a lot of French elements in my other poems, It's more of a signature of me and it made the story even more meaningful.

[Billy]

Thank you for taking time to explain all this. I will be sure to read more of your poetry

[Sami Khalil]

You had me so interested in her more than him. What a life she led. Did not know she was born in Al.
Her marriage to him made her more famous.
An interesting life about her.
Thank you for the enlightenment.

[Beren]

They had a complicated marriage, and Zelda was probably the main inspiration for The Great Gatsby, but Scott is said to have prevented her writings from becoming more popular. also Zelda had psychological problems...
I'm glad I helped someone learn something! Thank you!

[Sami Khalil]

You are right. I read on her after you posted. She was talented.