The Solitary Oak on Mount Kremlin-Bicêtre
by T. Wignesan
for Jean Lapresle, the “Father” of neuro-pathology in France: 1909-2000
On Bicêtre Mount a stately oak did spread its unmeshed
boughs to swarms of sparrows beating retreat
To turtle-doves and flapping pigeon-mates a frolicksome
haven
Where now on thunder-split crutches hop the mocking
magpie
Its black upturned tail uppity down high-domed arches’
smooth-shorn limbs
Desolate within chilled-threaded casements of fading
green
Sleek crows guard the sentinel post where gentle souls
tread lonesome
Once his benign fiery eye caught the tame light in lame
downcast distress
Novice and apprentis sorciers sought the shelter of his
umbrella wing
The charge-nurse at his beck and call
Under the official seal of his high personal chair
Now the lordly craftsman called to lay down his tools in
honorary quack contempt
By some aging loyal birds too meek to fly away
Too lame to avoid the headlong charge down tearing fate
Had him appear in white blouson for the nonce’s sake
No nurse to jump at the phone’s end
No student his ears peeled to every question
No professorial stamp at his command
“You know he takes no new patients…”
The voice trailing hoarse and dead
Carting rough brown bulky dossiers in his failing arms
Furtive
Distraught
A Visitor in his home
Nay A thief in his fiefdom
He stalks a room any room for a moment’s reprieve
The hand now shaky
The date a tussle with memory
Then the long unnoticed wait at the central desk
To ask for his patient the next bi-annual appointment
Patient
Like a patient
A whole life ministering to other personal needs
“When you no more have the charge of the place…”
His eyes want to plead in lieu of apology
Then abruptly the bi-annual rendez-vous is blocked
No excuse no reason is proffered
Only by chance you surmise
The frail fallen oak lies limp in some forsaken lot
T. Wignesan
Copyright ©:
(c) T. Wignesan – Paris, August 1, 2004
A few random poems:
- Владимир Высоцкий – Марш аквалангистов
- A man said to the universe: by Stephen Crane
- A Mysterious Naked Man
- Both ways I lose by Tanisha Avarsekar
- Laughter In The Senate by Sidney Lanier
- O Bitter Sprig! Confession Sprig! by Walt Whitman
- Old Man Poet by Raj Arumugam
- Evening balcony by Vladimir Marku
- Recantation by Sylvia Plath
- Николай Заболоцкий – Я не ищу гармонии в природе
- You Felons on Trial in Courts. by Walt Whitman
- An Arundel Tomb by Philip Larkin
- Annus Memorabilis : Written in Commemoration of His Majesty’s Happy Recovery by William Cowper
- His Bargain by William Butler Yeats
- The Lew O’ The Rick by William Barnes
External links
Bat’s Poetry Page – more poetry by Fledermaus
Talking Writing Monster’s Page –
Batty Writing – the bat’s idle chatter, thoughts, ideas and observations, all original, all fresh
Poems in English
- Robert Burns: Epitaph For James Smith:
- Robert Burns: Epitaph On John Dove, Innkeeper:
- Robert Burns: To A Mouse, On Turning Her Up In Her Nest With The Plough:
- Robert Burns: Halloween: The following poem will, by many readers, be well enough understood; but for the sake of those who are unacquainted with the manners and traditions of the country where the scene is cast, notes are added to give some account of the principal charms and spells of that night, so big with prophecy to the peasantry in the west of Scotland. The passion of prying into futurity makes a striking part of the history of human nature in its rude state, in all ages and nations; and it may be some entertainment to a philosophic mind, if any such honour the author with a perusal, to see the remains of it among the more unenlightened in our own.-R.B.
- Robert Burns: Farewell To Ballochmyle:
- Robert Burns: Young Peggy Blooms:
- Robert Burns: Second Epistle to Davie: A Brother Poet
- Robert Burns: Masonic Song:
- Robert Burns: Lines On Meeting With Lord Daer:
- Robert Burns: Address To The Toothache:
- Robert Burns: Farewell Song To The Banks Of Ayr: “I composed this song as I conveyed my chest so far on my road to Greenock, where I was to embark in a few days for Jamaica. I meant it as my farewell dirge to my native land.”-R. B.
- Robert Burns: O Thou Dread Power: Lying at a reverend friend’s house one night, the author left the following verses in the room where he slept:-
- Robert Burns: Epigram On Rough Roads:
- Robert Burns: Fragment Of Song:
- Robert Burns: The Brigs Of Ayr: Inscribed to John Ballantine, Esq., Ayr.
- Robert Burns: Reply To A Trimming Epistle Received From A Tailor:
- Robert Burns: Willie Chalmers: Mr. Chalmers, a gentleman in Ayrshire, a particular friend of mine, asked me to write a poetic epistle to a young lady, his Dulcinea. I had seen her, but was scarcely acquainted with her, and wrote as follows:-
- Robert Burns: Nature’s Law – A Poem: Humbly inscribed to Gavin Hamilton, Esq.
- Robert Burns: The Calf: To the Rev. James Steven, on his text, Malachi, ch. iv. vers. 2. “And ye shall go forth, and grow up, as Calves of the stall.”
- Robert Burns: Thomson’s Edward and Eleanora.:
More external links (open in a new tab):
Doska or the Board – write anything
Search engines:
Yandex – the best search engine for searches in Russian (and the best overall image search engine, in any language, anywhere)
Qwant – the best search engine for searches in French, German as well as Romance and Germanic languages.
Ecosia – a search engine that supposedly… plants trees
Duckduckgo – the real alternative and a search engine that actually works. Without much censorship or partisan politics.
Yahoo– yes, it’s still around, amazingly, miraculously, incredibly, but now it seems to be powered by Bing.
Parallel Translations of Poetry
The Poetry Repository – an online library of poems, poetry, verse and poetic works
