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!

[poetry lover]

Mark, this is a mighty effort, like an epic poem. The rhyme is remarkable!
My suggestions are to list the author's name ane perhaps one of his works in smaller print under your title, as if to dedicate to him. Maybe you would not need quite as many apostrophes; most rhythm will be fine if you leave some out. Thanks for this super poem!
~eleanor

[Mark]

If the rhyme is remarkable (for which, thank you!), it is only because David sets such a fine example to follow. As a relative newbie to the Site, you of course, were not aware of David Lewis Paget's prodigious, prolific preponderance of poetic perfection, but you will note that no other reviewers had to ask who it was! His is a singular style, and his execution of that style is without equal or compare....and Yes, this MAY well be the longest thing I have ever written, and might have been much longer, had I had his books at my side as writing!

[Enid Blake]

Great rhythm and meter.
Good subject matter too ;)

[MOON]

Lovely tribute to David Lewis Paget . He knows the Art of Poetry this is a fitting piece .

[TL Boehm]

What a wonderful poetic nod to David. Well done!

[emmy bon]

nice one, it make me remember sir David lewis paget's writing. very skillful writing well done sir

[Lisa Ring]

I too sit at the foot of the throne of David eager for the next tale. Such a fitting tribute! Thank you, Mark. Fantastic job.

[Emerald Seas]

Wonderful tribute to David! Such a tremendous effort so well orchestrated, Mark. I thoroughly enjoyed this, and saw David's style and touch upon your poem. Well done!

[The Refined Poet]

you captured him perfectly!!!!