‘The Wind’ by C Dale Young is a haunting poem. In this poem I plagiarize by taking the first line of each stanza of ‘The Wind’ (at times modified slightly) and work it into my own interpretation called ‘Marriage’. I wanted to post a link to C Dale Young’s poem that you could read it but I couldn’t find one, so if any of my readers requests it I’ll post it here. I refrain from doing so now as I don’t want to be compared with a master like C Dale Young.
But I was afraid then. I remember still
menacing water on my face,
my anguish, as I lost my grip on the shore.
Where were you, partner, when I stepped in
alone, to brave the salty deeps,
abandoned, to my frigid fear?
Unlike you I was lit by panic then,
waves sucked me into their embrace,
Could I yell for help?
Many were there immobile, impassive
but you mouthed ‘I love you’.
Then, you told me that
there shall be no fear. But I was afraid.
Yesterday I watched my friend
walk the same path to the vows altar.
I heard her dismayed cry as
her craft swirled on wild waters.
The current spun her fast, she
who has only just learned to be carried by it.
Do not shrug, I need you beside
to brave life’s treacherous eddies
Together we sail swirling seas to eternity.
I need you to buoy me up,
To save me; you, who keep my heart
in your rooms. Now, the old man says
we must face life together,
what God joined no man shall
put asunder. The lifeboat of union
needs two at the oars.
You and I together, for a third.
But this, this final step … Do not laugh.
when a child joins us in the
waxing and waning of life. We are bound,
watertight, as a deft dry family
rowing serenely over the expanse,
hereafter, to never dive alone.
jstansfeld 
*Wonderful*
Thank – you. I didn’t know that you followed my blog. I welcome you!
I love reading them! I will need art lessons from you
I really love this. It is a beautiful poem. You have so many winderful talents.
I’m glad that you like it. As Wyon points out it is full of emotion.
Love, Jane
I was basically cuouris about if you ever considered adjusting the design of your site? Its very well written; I enjoy what you have got to say. But maybe you can include a a bit more in the way of content so people can connect to it better. You have got a great deal of wording for only having one or two photos. Maybe you could space it out better?
Thanks jane, this is very interesting. I liked the first two stanzas in particular because they are so full of feeling but the whole poem was also heartfelt and different in tone to what you usually write. thank you. It must have been hard to include those first lines – especially when they needed enjambment.
I thank you Wyon. Yes, the plagiarized lines forced me into a different voice which I rather like.
The exercise, although restrictive actually served to loosen me up. The emotion which you detect in the first two stanzas (very astute of you) is from an earlier poem which I turned into this by tacking it onto the plagiarized lines.
Love, Jane
Glad I was on track. I am intrigued to know what would happen if you just stayed with the raw emotion and wrote entirely from there.
I accept your challenge but it will be a couple of weeks…
I lost the strand in the last stanza and went back a couple of times – got it 🙂
Yes, that’s how it is in the home run.
Enjoyed this read Jane. I’ve not read the original and don’t intend to – prefer to hold this as written.
Peace, Eric
I agree about the way it evolves – maybe I should have worked in the grand-children who are such a joy to those of my age; but then I’d have to go on to the final stage which might be back to the frigid fear of widowhood. Another poem perhaps, but I am not going to try to address the ‘Seven ages of Man’ I’ll leave that to Shakespeare. Anyway I thank you for your visit which I always look forward to and savor. Cheerio Jane