moonbird
11-07-2010, 06:54 PM
Anya Cardwell
The air in our home
grows sharp
and chilled. There are
five other girls
living here,
and all huddle beneath one
tattered blanket,
shivering
and trying to squeeze tighter
together.
But I savor
the feeling of my friends’ shoulders
pressed
to mine,
for I shan’t be here
for much longer.
Thomas Cardwell
I stand in the doorway,
where I have stood
many a time
before,
watching my little girl
with pride and
with shame,
wishing I could give her
all that she
deserves.
I remember
so long ago,
though really not so long
at all,
when another soul stood
beside me
here
watching our darling girl
together.
If only...
Captain James Ainsley
Pull away, Great Ranger.
’Tis time to return
to your birthplace.
To our men,
we are going home,
but to us,
we are leaving our home.
For the churning black waters
and bitter ice wind
and dark, flashing clouds,
they are our quarters,
our sanctuary.
We dance together
on your swaying back
and sing gaily of homecoming
but you and I both
shall yearn to leave.
Leah Almonde
Anya is sad today.
Her eyes gaze at nothing;
she holds us close together;
she touches the walls
and floors.
Whenever I ask her
she replies only,
Dull grown-up things, Leah.
You wouldn’t understand.
To this I grumpily
fold my arms
and grunt,
for Mama says I’m a
bright little girl
and I’m sure I could
understand
Anya’s grown-up things.
Lillian Grey
Thick, lumpy, green
pea soup
all over my dress.
I’ll murder that Tommy,
I swear I will.
Mama says she’ll wash it,
but we’re all out of soap
and it probably won’t
come out.
So forever I shall wear
a brown dress
stained green.
Anya Cardwell
An apron
A needle and thread
Two hairpins
A wooden hairbrush
A woolen scarf
The dress that I wear
The ribbon in my hair
The locket round my neck.
How can this be all
that I own?
Rich girls have a hundredfold more
than I.
Lilly once was rich, you know.
Oh, the stories she tells!
All the clothes she could want
and ladies’ powdered faces
and exotic foods
and everything was positively perfect
in every way.
I stare down at my small pile of
belongings,
and release a wistful sigh...
Countess Sophia Richards
Breakfast is silent.
My fork clinks loudly against my plate;
the toast crunches loudly in my mouth.
Enjoying your breakfast, madam?
Cook inquires politely.
Yes, Cook. Delicious as always.
I’m not lying;
the eggs are cooked
just how I like them,
the ham is sweet and salty,
the toast is buttered correctly,
the tea is piping hot.
But I cannot taste the food,
only the bitterness
of this silent room.
Where is Shannon this morning?
I ask finally.
My husband glances up briefly
from his book.
She quit, he replies.
Quit? I repeat, stunned.
Yes. Quit.
My husband returns to his reading.
Silence again.
Leah Almonde
I learned a new word today.
It is called corsets.
Lilly said ladies wear them
round their waists
and another lady pulls
the strings on the back
and it makes them look thinner.
I asked if that was not uncomfortable
for the ladies.
Lilly agreed that her mama
had hated them,
but they are what’s proper for ladies,
so they must wear them.
Sometimes I think rich people
are rather foolish.
Anya Cardwell
It is time.
My small bundle is
in my hand,
and I ask Papa if
perhaps
there is time for goodbyes?
But he shakes his head
and says
it will be easier for everyone
if we just go.
So we go
out into the night.
Noelle Grey
I had the loveliest dream last night.
I opened my eyes
and all I saw
were petticoats
with gold and silk trim
and lacy dresses
with ruffles and ribbons
and tall-heeled shoes
of satin or velvet,
and I rose from my bed
stuffed with goose feathers
and powdered my face
and painted my lips
and a servant helped me
put on my corset
and she pulled my hair
into a bun
and let my blonde curls
hang down round my face
and I sprayed flowery
perfume
and I ate escargot
for breakfast,
before remembering that I’d never
much cared for snails,
and I awoke
to reality.
Captain James Ainsley
We have arrived, Great Ranger,
to where the waters
are shallow and blue
and the wind is warm.
The men jump for joy
and rush to the firm earth
and as your graceful swaying
suddenly disappears,
they stumble over themselves,
fall,
get back up,
stumble,
fall again,
laughing like schoolboys.
I, on the other hand,
choose to preserve my dignity.
I stay onboard.
Jane Ingleby
Thomas and Anya are gone
without a trace.
We awoke this morning
to find their room empty
and their belongings
gone.
They left no note;
just disappeared
silently
into the world.
Poor Lilly;
how she wept.
Her mama tried to comfort her,
but it was no use;
Lilly and Anya
were inseparable friends,
and now they are separated,
probably forever.
Poor, poor Lilly.
Count Jonathon Richards
Sophia wants a new violinist.
How surprised she was
when I told her Shannon
had quit.
Personally,
I thought it was inevitable.
After all, Sophia,
bless her heart,
can be considered quite
harsh
toward her employees.
’Tis a shame, really.
Shannon was quite the
gifted musician.
Ah, well.
My dear wife shan’t have another
silent breakfast.
Auditions begin tomorrow.
Shannon Kane
Free!
Finally free from that
dreadful woman.
Honestly!
The littlest things could set her off.
One missed note?
Shannon, what an awful chord!
You’ve ruined my appetite.
Slightly wrong tempo?
For Heaven’s sake, Shannon,
speed it up,
before I nod off to sleep!
I mean, it’s not as if I play
easy music!
I’ve conquered everything from
Peri to Gesualdo!
But now, I must return to my motherland;
I should never have left
my beautiful Ireland.
How good it will feel to be home.
Thomas Cardwell
My home is behind me;
never shall I
lay eyes on it again.
In front of me
and Anya
(such a brave girl
for her modest age)
lies the world,
uncertain and cold.
It is a gamble,
but it must be done.
For Anya.
She deserves so much more.
Which way to the harbor?
I ask.
The man points
and we walk.
Captain James Ainsley
Our men have returned,
bearing supplies
and a pair of recruits,
a man and a girl.
They uncertainly board
the great wooden back
of the Great Ranger
and approach me warily.
I snort.
You’re not much of a sailor, I say.
The man hesitates,
then speaks in a polite tone:
I swear to you, sir,
that we shall work on your ship
till our backs break
and be loyal to you
through torture and sorrow.
I eye him thoroughly.
For some odd reason,
I believe his words.
But there are other problems
to deal with
with them...
Andrew Silver
I am blind
but to one person.
I stumble aboard the ship,
dazed and awestruck,
and see only
the most beautiful girl
in the world.
Her eyes are the blue-gray
of the sky before a storm;
her long dark hair
tied back in a ribbon
ripples in the wind.
Her clothes are tattered,
but they do not take away
from her breathtaking face.
I am in love.
Anya Cardwell
Only one bunk left, he says.
Only one of you
can live aboard this ship.
Papa offers
to sleep on the floor.
The Captain denies this,
adding that they have
only enough food
for one more mouth.
My heart stops.
He’ll pick Papa.
I’m only a girl,
I cannot work
nearly as hard
as he can.
I’ll be left here, abandoned,
alone.
It is very difficult
for me not to
weep
with despair.
Captain James Ainsley
I pity the despairing twosome.
But I have no choice;
our space is limited,
our food even more so.
I can take only one.
Take my daughter, he pleads.
She cannot survive alone.
No! the girl cries,
tears spilling from her eyes.
You cannot leave me, Papa!
I rub my chin thoughtfully.
Which one, which one...
Out of the corner of my eye,
I glimpse young Andrew.
His eyes are very wide;
his mouth slightly agape.
I follow his eyes to the girl.
I sigh inwardly;
I’ve always had such a soft spot
for that lad.
Reminds me of myself
at that age,
I suppose.
I turn back to the man.
I’ll take the girl, I say.
Thomas Cardwell
Cry not, my child.
It is true
that you are being forced
to grow up too fast.
How I wish I could
be with you forever.
But Fate is cruel,
and this is how it must be.
You deserve
everything,
my child.
Dry your tears.
Be strong.
Leah Almonde
How I miss Anya.
She used to tell me stories
at bedtime
about fair princesses
and their shining knights
and dancing
and tigers in the circus
until I drifted off to sleep.
Mama tries to tell stories,
but they are so dull,
nothing compared to Anya’s.
I shall sleep fitfully tonight.
**This is all I have so far, stay turned for more!**
The air in our home
grows sharp
and chilled. There are
five other girls
living here,
and all huddle beneath one
tattered blanket,
shivering
and trying to squeeze tighter
together.
But I savor
the feeling of my friends’ shoulders
pressed
to mine,
for I shan’t be here
for much longer.
Thomas Cardwell
I stand in the doorway,
where I have stood
many a time
before,
watching my little girl
with pride and
with shame,
wishing I could give her
all that she
deserves.
I remember
so long ago,
though really not so long
at all,
when another soul stood
beside me
here
watching our darling girl
together.
If only...
Captain James Ainsley
Pull away, Great Ranger.
’Tis time to return
to your birthplace.
To our men,
we are going home,
but to us,
we are leaving our home.
For the churning black waters
and bitter ice wind
and dark, flashing clouds,
they are our quarters,
our sanctuary.
We dance together
on your swaying back
and sing gaily of homecoming
but you and I both
shall yearn to leave.
Leah Almonde
Anya is sad today.
Her eyes gaze at nothing;
she holds us close together;
she touches the walls
and floors.
Whenever I ask her
she replies only,
Dull grown-up things, Leah.
You wouldn’t understand.
To this I grumpily
fold my arms
and grunt,
for Mama says I’m a
bright little girl
and I’m sure I could
understand
Anya’s grown-up things.
Lillian Grey
Thick, lumpy, green
pea soup
all over my dress.
I’ll murder that Tommy,
I swear I will.
Mama says she’ll wash it,
but we’re all out of soap
and it probably won’t
come out.
So forever I shall wear
a brown dress
stained green.
Anya Cardwell
An apron
A needle and thread
Two hairpins
A wooden hairbrush
A woolen scarf
The dress that I wear
The ribbon in my hair
The locket round my neck.
How can this be all
that I own?
Rich girls have a hundredfold more
than I.
Lilly once was rich, you know.
Oh, the stories she tells!
All the clothes she could want
and ladies’ powdered faces
and exotic foods
and everything was positively perfect
in every way.
I stare down at my small pile of
belongings,
and release a wistful sigh...
Countess Sophia Richards
Breakfast is silent.
My fork clinks loudly against my plate;
the toast crunches loudly in my mouth.
Enjoying your breakfast, madam?
Cook inquires politely.
Yes, Cook. Delicious as always.
I’m not lying;
the eggs are cooked
just how I like them,
the ham is sweet and salty,
the toast is buttered correctly,
the tea is piping hot.
But I cannot taste the food,
only the bitterness
of this silent room.
Where is Shannon this morning?
I ask finally.
My husband glances up briefly
from his book.
She quit, he replies.
Quit? I repeat, stunned.
Yes. Quit.
My husband returns to his reading.
Silence again.
Leah Almonde
I learned a new word today.
It is called corsets.
Lilly said ladies wear them
round their waists
and another lady pulls
the strings on the back
and it makes them look thinner.
I asked if that was not uncomfortable
for the ladies.
Lilly agreed that her mama
had hated them,
but they are what’s proper for ladies,
so they must wear them.
Sometimes I think rich people
are rather foolish.
Anya Cardwell
It is time.
My small bundle is
in my hand,
and I ask Papa if
perhaps
there is time for goodbyes?
But he shakes his head
and says
it will be easier for everyone
if we just go.
So we go
out into the night.
Noelle Grey
I had the loveliest dream last night.
I opened my eyes
and all I saw
were petticoats
with gold and silk trim
and lacy dresses
with ruffles and ribbons
and tall-heeled shoes
of satin or velvet,
and I rose from my bed
stuffed with goose feathers
and powdered my face
and painted my lips
and a servant helped me
put on my corset
and she pulled my hair
into a bun
and let my blonde curls
hang down round my face
and I sprayed flowery
perfume
and I ate escargot
for breakfast,
before remembering that I’d never
much cared for snails,
and I awoke
to reality.
Captain James Ainsley
We have arrived, Great Ranger,
to where the waters
are shallow and blue
and the wind is warm.
The men jump for joy
and rush to the firm earth
and as your graceful swaying
suddenly disappears,
they stumble over themselves,
fall,
get back up,
stumble,
fall again,
laughing like schoolboys.
I, on the other hand,
choose to preserve my dignity.
I stay onboard.
Jane Ingleby
Thomas and Anya are gone
without a trace.
We awoke this morning
to find their room empty
and their belongings
gone.
They left no note;
just disappeared
silently
into the world.
Poor Lilly;
how she wept.
Her mama tried to comfort her,
but it was no use;
Lilly and Anya
were inseparable friends,
and now they are separated,
probably forever.
Poor, poor Lilly.
Count Jonathon Richards
Sophia wants a new violinist.
How surprised she was
when I told her Shannon
had quit.
Personally,
I thought it was inevitable.
After all, Sophia,
bless her heart,
can be considered quite
harsh
toward her employees.
’Tis a shame, really.
Shannon was quite the
gifted musician.
Ah, well.
My dear wife shan’t have another
silent breakfast.
Auditions begin tomorrow.
Shannon Kane
Free!
Finally free from that
dreadful woman.
Honestly!
The littlest things could set her off.
One missed note?
Shannon, what an awful chord!
You’ve ruined my appetite.
Slightly wrong tempo?
For Heaven’s sake, Shannon,
speed it up,
before I nod off to sleep!
I mean, it’s not as if I play
easy music!
I’ve conquered everything from
Peri to Gesualdo!
But now, I must return to my motherland;
I should never have left
my beautiful Ireland.
How good it will feel to be home.
Thomas Cardwell
My home is behind me;
never shall I
lay eyes on it again.
In front of me
and Anya
(such a brave girl
for her modest age)
lies the world,
uncertain and cold.
It is a gamble,
but it must be done.
For Anya.
She deserves so much more.
Which way to the harbor?
I ask.
The man points
and we walk.
Captain James Ainsley
Our men have returned,
bearing supplies
and a pair of recruits,
a man and a girl.
They uncertainly board
the great wooden back
of the Great Ranger
and approach me warily.
I snort.
You’re not much of a sailor, I say.
The man hesitates,
then speaks in a polite tone:
I swear to you, sir,
that we shall work on your ship
till our backs break
and be loyal to you
through torture and sorrow.
I eye him thoroughly.
For some odd reason,
I believe his words.
But there are other problems
to deal with
with them...
Andrew Silver
I am blind
but to one person.
I stumble aboard the ship,
dazed and awestruck,
and see only
the most beautiful girl
in the world.
Her eyes are the blue-gray
of the sky before a storm;
her long dark hair
tied back in a ribbon
ripples in the wind.
Her clothes are tattered,
but they do not take away
from her breathtaking face.
I am in love.
Anya Cardwell
Only one bunk left, he says.
Only one of you
can live aboard this ship.
Papa offers
to sleep on the floor.
The Captain denies this,
adding that they have
only enough food
for one more mouth.
My heart stops.
He’ll pick Papa.
I’m only a girl,
I cannot work
nearly as hard
as he can.
I’ll be left here, abandoned,
alone.
It is very difficult
for me not to
weep
with despair.
Captain James Ainsley
I pity the despairing twosome.
But I have no choice;
our space is limited,
our food even more so.
I can take only one.
Take my daughter, he pleads.
She cannot survive alone.
No! the girl cries,
tears spilling from her eyes.
You cannot leave me, Papa!
I rub my chin thoughtfully.
Which one, which one...
Out of the corner of my eye,
I glimpse young Andrew.
His eyes are very wide;
his mouth slightly agape.
I follow his eyes to the girl.
I sigh inwardly;
I’ve always had such a soft spot
for that lad.
Reminds me of myself
at that age,
I suppose.
I turn back to the man.
I’ll take the girl, I say.
Thomas Cardwell
Cry not, my child.
It is true
that you are being forced
to grow up too fast.
How I wish I could
be with you forever.
But Fate is cruel,
and this is how it must be.
You deserve
everything,
my child.
Dry your tears.
Be strong.
Leah Almonde
How I miss Anya.
She used to tell me stories
at bedtime
about fair princesses
and their shining knights
and dancing
and tigers in the circus
until I drifted off to sleep.
Mama tries to tell stories,
but they are so dull,
nothing compared to Anya’s.
I shall sleep fitfully tonight.
**This is all I have so far, stay turned for more!**