THE MAN OF LA MOONTA

My tribute to one who is unquestionably the most prolific and most profound of all the writers here, upon having learned of his heart attack last week...

THE MAN OF LA MOONTA

 

A Giant ‘pon the earth doth stride

His feet leave mighty prints

And we who’ve in his shadow stood

May play within their dents

The Northern and the Southern,

 ‘pon both hemispheres he’s stood

The Western and the Eastern, too

Have known that  Giant’s good!

 

‘pon mighty Pillars he does stand

Which give him a long view

Until the day he was bemanned

They showed him what to do

When from Brittania’s misty climes

He felt the need to stir

His greaves and gauntlets were taut-set;

The rest now seems a blur!

 

Onto Tasman’s  southern shores,

Unto Maori lands

The Giant now has set his prow,

His head, his heart, his hands.

One ocean, you will duly note

Our Giant’s step has spanned;

O’er others he shall soar soon hence,

Ere voyaging is banned.

 

He donned a suit of khaki, then,

And strode where he was bid.

The wings he’d donned placed him in bond--

(For but a  season  did!)

Yet though his body was oft bound,

His spirit never ceased to strive

For during that time he had found

A vaster vehicle to drive!

 

Then across another Gulf

Of Leyte and So’Chin

His eye betook a second look

To test his might and mien

To bring the tongue of Eng-ga-lun,

Her precepts and her creed

Were what that Giant did perceive

The ochre-men to need!

 

And the saffron damsels, too

(I hardly need to add!)

For though our Giant’s now a man,

He still was quite the lad!

And if a rickshaw was his ride,

His mind had larger wheels

He wrote until his fingers bled

And with undying zeal!

 

He shared his strengths and weaknesses

His sorrows and his joys,

The paths he’d laid, the times he’d strayed,

His tools, his t’oughts, his toys.

Back to Australia’s banks he walked

A time, or two or three

But ever back to Chine he strode

Once he’d charged his battery.

 

 

But now upon taMoon he’s parked

A wise old Giant, he

For ‘tis from thence he may dispense

His vast profundity.

But if you though him safe-ensconced

The breadth of his reach fettered

Think ye again! For from that den,

He’s writing more, and better!

 

Now, to those other oceans

That I told you he would span

I haven’t lied! He did bestride

If by ‘lectronic hand!

His disciples you will find

On every continent, save one

And I doubt not that he’ll have got

Some on Antarc’, ere done!

 

Though his Pillars have long fell

They did the stone and plan provide

To build a Vehicle that would take

Us all on one fantastic ride!

And if we’re forced to contemplate

The time when he them meets

I am proud to have been one

To study at his feet!

 

May it be many years anon

Ere that fell blow is dealt

For I am sure that more and purer

Blossoms are yet to be smelt!

From eastern shore of Pacifique

I to her western bound’ry gaze

With heart close attuned ta of the Man of La Moonta,

Casting prayers of thanks and praise.

 

And if that Giant’s footsteps

Have sunk tarns* where we might clean

The detritus of dysrhythmic verse

From off our poetry machine,

That’s but coincidental

To a greater lesson learned:

That Wisdom and Knowledge may e’er be found

Wherever our feet may be turned!

 

And so, thou Man of La Moonta

Accept this grateful cant

If sung, or in awe-struck silence

It’s  plaintive tone, my rant!

It’s been to me a privilege,

And yes, a pleasure, too

That I’ve been shown the foot of thy Throne

And welcomed there, by you!

*tarn: a small, deep lake

 

 

Mark Teague

September 15^th, 2012

Author's Note

In order to understand many of my allusions, you must first be aware that David lives in the town of Moonta, Southern Australia, and that his parents (the Pillars) were of Scotch and Welsh extraction, and both literarily minded. Written in typical Paget meter. God bless you, my brother!

Reviews

[David Lewis Paget]

This had me in stitches, Mark! What a fantastic, crazy tribute and in perfect 'Paget metre' too. I shall have to keep this one, for sure, to show my friends. You'll have them falling about all over the place.
Just one correction here, I live in South Australia, not New South Wales.
Brilliant, my friend, brilliant!

[Tate Morgan]

Stunning work and fabulous topic a shared concern a good friend as are you as well
One of the best examples of the meter i have seen

[Mark]

Thank you, Tate! I knew you were as big a fan of David's as I was, so I was a little puzzled that I had not heard from you sooner! Be sure and check out today's post, 'Owner;s Manual for the Human Male", as well as the Shelley Holt-Lowery piece that inspired it, "Instructions for Use", when you get the chance!

[Tate Morgan]

Excellent this piece here had me laughing and at times lamenting the thought of a world without Paget.He is a deserving soul and you a great friend.What more honorable position is there for a man? Your abilities far outstrip my own but mirror my feelings and concern so hardly able to put them to words

[Mark]

I've come to believe that there are all kinds of poetry, and if I exercise my option to write but one, and like but a few, that does not lessen them, for that. The world of 1968, when I was in Ms. Mietz's English class, is a vastly different one that today's, and "The Rules" I was taught did not reflect all that might one day be possible, only that which had been proved remarkable and memorable from the past. Though Eliot and Kerouac, among others, may have opened doors that I personally believe had better remained closed, my belief, I have finally acknowledged, is a narrow one. It's perfectly all right, considering, for example, "tubers", to love ALL potatoes, only parts of turnips (the green part), and nothing whatever of rutabagas; the same may be said of poetry.

[Tate Morgan]

yes the question lies in does this piece speak to me.And I too cameto that conclusion I have a friend 88 yrs old who is trained in the art and so she cannot appreciate the thing of this world as they are now.Just as when Picasso came along the world balked at the new idea .It has stood the test of time as will we

[Mark]

I hear you, but for the record, I don't like Picasso, either!

[Tate Morgan]

i dont either lol

[Patricia B. Hepler]

You're honoring a good friend in the best way-writing about him in his style..
Enjoyed. ~pat

[Rick Puetter]

Dear Mark,

Very nice indeed. And we all wish David the best of health.

This was greatly enjoyed, Mark. Haven't visited your pages for some time. I'm glad I did so that I could read this wonderful tribute to David.

Best wishes to the both of you!

Rick

[Mark]

Nicely done. :)

[Fréyjä Helv..]

Brilliant indeed... Oooh. It was a fun read.. :)

[eatmills]

Tate sent me a Read Request for this and I bless him every minute for it. What an absolutely amazing tribute to one of the greatest writer's we have on WC. Mark, I am in awe and jealous ( a little) of your use of the Paget Metre. I thank you.

[Mark]

Thank you very much for this effusion of praise! I shall try to reciprocate within a few days. Mark

[Ellen Hammond]

Wow! What a lovely tribute to an awesome poet.

[Mark]

A blanket thank you to all who have thus far reviewed this poem. With but three exceptions, I am not as yet acquainted with any of you, so in order not to be repetitive, I opted this path. I shall attempt to return the favor within a few days. Mark

[bob, small b. aka invs]

seems as if you were channeling David when you wrote this. epic in style and execution. beautifully done.

[Mark]

"Channelling David": Wow! That's high praise indeed! Thank you, Bob!