Returning To The Playground

[DATo]

Returning To The Playground

by

DATo

I see now dimly through my tears
Through eyes which have known many years
The playground of a distant day
Where once I frolicked in my play
With Tom and Frankie, Megan, Sue
Squeaking swing chains - skies of blue.

Oh, did we ever say goodbye,
One to another, long ago?
I would have done had I more sense
How useless now - this recompense!
To distant regions have they flown
The dearest friends I’ve ever known.

And there, I think, the tree I see
Where Annie’s name was carved by me
With a pocket knife - my childhood prize
Anne Hilbert’s name - immortalized.
I touch the gnarled name on the tree.
Annie, do you remember me?

Behind the playground in the wood I see
The place where the policeman yelled at me.
I had given my folks a terrible fright
I had been gone most half the night
I had buried Sparkey, who was killed by a car.
He then carried me home as I cried in his arms.

How strange the feeling which now attends me
As I open my eyes in the distance I clearly see
A beagle darting from the wood baying
And behind him runs Annie, Oh, what’s that she’s saying?
And here come Tommy and Frankie too
And behind them is Megan skipping with Sue.

The struggle is over. He’s at peace now.
Does he have family? Who shall we call?

No one, he has outlived them all.
He looks so peaceful in this, his demise.

Yes, curious the light which shines in his eyes.

[108 fountains]

Interesting poem, DATo. It's all nostalgic, and then at the end you give it a bit of a twist. I've sort of gotten away from poetry the past several years. I'm nor exactly sure why. But I like this one. The nostalgia might not be for everyone, but I thought it built well toward the final line, which captures and distills the poem's sentiment nicely.

[YesNo]

Nice remembrances with good details of Sparkey and Anne.

[DATo]

Many thanks 108 and YesNo! [:- )

[abnormalalien]

Beautiful, like 108 I haven't been reading much poetry lately. But I like this one; it's a story written in a poem, all wrapped up with a twist at the end. Well done!

[Delta40]

I like it too though it doesn't flow in places. I enjoyed the nostalgic journey.

[DATo]

Thank you abnomalalien and Delta40 for your replies.

I always find myself a bit fluxmoxed by the poetry I read these days. It seems the emphasis today is placed on contriving enigmatic language to represent ideas which are so deeply hidden that the reader doesn't know what the hell the poet is trying to say. While modernistic style certainly has its place in literature and art I must say that I prefer poetry which clearly states the poet's intent. I think that sometimes for the sake of art the baby gets thrown out with the bath water.

I was hoping to write a poem in the tradition of the poems I read and enjoyed in my youth by such poets as Frost and Millay: a poem which in this case tells a story and does so in a lyrical manner. I wrote it quickly and presented it as first written. I'm sure it could be improved. Once again, thank you for taking the time to reply.

[dara.cv]

beautiful. As I have recently been dealing with loss, this touches me dearly. I love how the narrator revisits his, first perhaps, experience of loss with Sparkey and in the end is reunited with him as well as his friends. The dialogue in the end gives a deeper peace still to counter the narrator's happy yet still sad death.

[DATo]

beautiful. As I have recently been dealing with loss, this touches me dearly. I love how the narrator revisits his, first perhaps, experience of loss with Sparkey and in the end is reunited with him as well as his friends. The dialogue in the end gives a deeper peace still to counter the narrator's happy yet still sad death.

First of all let me say that I am sorry for your loss. I have experienced what you are going through many times in my life. Trust me when I say that things get better in time. Time is often the only healer but right now you are standing in the shadows. As a wise person once said, Before one can realize the miracle of the sunrise one must stand for a time in the darkness. The light will shine again ... please believe that.

Thank you for responding to my poem. If it has in some small way brought you any sense of peace then perhaps that was the reason it was destined to be posted.

[Jerrybaldy]

I have been meaning to say for a long time that I think this is a great poem

[DATo]

I have been meaning to say for a long time that I think this is a great poem

Greetings Jerrybaldy,

I had forgotten all about submitting this poem. While reviewing a few of my posts I came upon your comment. Thanks so much for your reply and kind words and I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to respond.