One of four rolls away from it all, Lightly wet by the lager and gore. From the racket of bacchanal brawls Over gambling and disputed whores. See the sailor had left for Saint Kitts, So, the bookie acquainted his wench. On return? Well, the bookie was hit, And his teeth? They were smashed off the bench. Then the gambler was saved when a guard Cracked a keg on the mariner’s back. Which disrupted a long game of cards, On which there was bet quite the stack. So, a band from the barrel escapes, Unabated by madness all round. As it trundles past drunks of all shape, As it rolls on the ale-sodden ground. First it rolls by the widower old Making love to the water of life. No concern for the spending of gold, Only wishing to waken his wife. Next a party of knights just returned From a war that they won by a hair. While they cheer for their victory earned, There’s a mourning that hangs in the air. Then a date with the innkeeper’s boy, And the girl from the market upstream. For she always has acted so coy, And the boy had a smile like a dream. Now the drunkard that everyone hates; He’s enraged that his drink has been spilled, By the fault of his unsteady gait, And he pines for more barley distilled. Then at last, out the door falls the band. The steel hoop leaves the pub's orange glow. As it slows it can no longer stand, And it falls into delicate snow. Beneath stars the commotion has passed, There’s a stillness and silence at last.
A Little Bit about the Poem
One October, I asked friends for single words to inspire me to write some Hallowe'en themed stories. Though these single words were initially limited to a spooky theme, I found the technique effective, and opened it up to any word at all in the following months.
This poem was inspired by the word 'Ring'. I didn't take to the word. I couldn't think of anything to write about that (even with the maudlin attitude I was running with at the time) didn't make me cringe. Broadening the scope to include rings that didn't affix to the finger put me in mind of the hoops that hold a wooden barrel together.
As proud of it as I am, there's a few iffy rhymes on it, be sure to check back and see if I fix them!
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