Sunday, October 30, 2011

Shrine to Genius


image from: http://threehundredpages.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/overcoming-writers-block-2/  via Magpie Tales



Shrine to Genius



Here is his desk, nothing touched

Note the crumpled sheet, still creased by his own fingers

(I see a seashell, cast on a beach)

This is the chair where he sat, where he composed his opus

Note his cushion, marked with wear

Keep behind the rope!


Don’t breathe on the artefacts 

The typewriter ribbons have been saved, cross-referenced and indexed

The room is cork-lined for preservation

There is the stain where he threw coffee

(I see clouds and mushrooms on the walls)

Artistic, you know

Divinely gifted man


The machine is unique, adapted for his needs

The keys, the bell silenced, the action geometric to his order


(Down here, I see battlements)


It is not the original desk, he burned that one

This one was built later, from the same timbers –

You can order a replica in the shop

Postcards and posters are for sale

The Master’s Voice on CD

Books?  No we don’t stock them.


 Ah, such a great man.




Thanks to Tess for the prompt.  For more Magpies, please visit here.

x

29 comments:

anthonynorth said...

An a great write, too.

Frances Garrood said...

A really original take on the photo - loved it!

Martin said...

Very nicely crafted piece.

Jenne' R. Andrews said...

Terrific-- this could well be a homage to Hemingway, who I believe was at the typewriter when he crumpled up his latest effort and pointed his Glock at himself, pulling the trigger. Did you have someone in mind? xxxj I don't know that EH had a glock--

Maggie said...

Wonderful write. No books to sell... that is clever.

Kathy Bischoping said...

That he burned his desk made me shiver. Nicely done!

Kay said...

wonderful take on the prompt..the stay behind the rope made me a little sad...

Roy Schulze said...

Excellent. The second piece of Science Fiction I've read today, or is it? My Magpie this week is Poet.

Tumblewords: said...

Intriguing piece! Well crafted.

kelvin s.m. said...

..ah, i think you are excellent here.. full of substance and very clever! great take!

~Kelvin

Jinksy said...

A paean to times past... Great Magpie.

Doctor FTSE said...

Very good writing.

jabblog said...

Wonderful! Artificial shrines to greatness, hushed voices and barriers to keep the hoi polloi at bay.
'Books? No we don't stock them' - brilliant.

Friko said...

books? no we don't stock them . . .
that's how it goes. Perhaps he's been preserved on Kindle?

Lyn said...

A stellar performance..I think you must outshine him! Both must be enshrined!

Other Mary said...

Ah...everything but the books. Love that touch of irony!

Brigid O'Connor said...

Clever and so true, all those great books out of stock.

Stafford Ray said...

"Books? No we don’t stock them.
Ah, such a great man."
That is so funny!
You must be Irish.

BTW, in response to your comment and question: "My brothers is pianist and he is drunk. My sister is harpist!"

Misfit. said...

Marvelous piece. Reminds me of hemingway. I love the reminiscence that oozes from this. I love how it seems as though you are remembering someone you never really knew. Great piece!

Anonymous said...

Very clever. The parentheticals, the irony, the battlements! K.

Laurie Kolp said...

I love how you picked out the details and incorporated them into the poem like you did.

Arnab Majumdar said...

I'd loved to have met him. Great man, indeed :)

Cheers,
Arnab Majumdar on SribbleFest.com

Liz Rice-Sosne said...

This is a wonderful take on the prompt. And oh, I see the trees below that I wished to join, glad for the reminder.

Brian Miller said...

nice..the burning of the desk and there be no books to sell at the end are great touches in this very well written piece...i like it...

Tess Kincaid said...

Oh, I love your take! Keep behind the rope, indeed!

Chronicles of Illusions said...

you went to so many great places with this - love that he burnt the original desk - that you have no books - love it

A Word In My Head said...

i woulds say strong and WOW ..its simply amazing

Chronicles of Illusions said...

original, clever, true, a great write

Yve said...

Haha, very clever! Love this!