Loser Takes All - the Jester Below a Blackening Sky

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By Paraglider

Jester - in 19th Century watercolours
Jester - in 19th Century watercolours

Loser Takes All

 

Below the blackening sky go I

warily wearily wobbly o

frightened to live and frightened to die

toll bell toll

sick as a parrot covered in glue

languid as leeks in the depth of a stew

who would be me, except possibly you?

loser takes all

Doom is the name of the game we play

warily wearily wobbly o

doom by the bushel an acre a day

toll bell toll

death is a mercy so sing it again

wrists in the bath or a surfeit of men

show me a pain and I'll show you a pen

loser takes all

Moan it and mix it. Trowel it on thick

warily wearily wobbly o

fate is a pheasant with salt on its dick

toll bell toll

cry me to sleep with my head on a sack

stuffed with the rotting remains of a yak

call me an artist - god knows I'll be back

loser takes all

Jester

The picture was made by my brother in 1998, using 100 year old lead pencils and watercolours found in our attic. It seemed to suit the mood of my poem.

Comments

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MrMarmalade profile image

MrMarmalade  says:
2 years ago

For Whom The Bell Tolls.

Is it I or thou?

I loved your hub and the paintings

Thank you

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
2 years ago

Thanks MM, and thanks too for being such a faithful reader!

Zsuzsy Bee profile image

Zsuzsy Bee  says:
2 years ago

Love the watercolor and you're right Paraglider it fit great with your poem.

great Hub regards Zsuzsy

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
2 years ago

Thanks Zz :)

Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
2 years ago

this is fantastic.  the rhythm of it is marvelous. the words and images.  just a perfect package.  well done.

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
2 years ago

Thanks Idunn - the pairing of the painting with the picture was pure serendipity. Both have existed separately for some time and last night I suddenly had this idea . .

Iðunn profile image

Iðunn  says:
2 years ago

that too but actually I meant the images your words created and your really offbeat yet endearing underlying tone of them.  I mean, you have the alliteration, the connotations, the rhyme scheme, everything in perfection.  it really is 'poetry'. :)

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
2 years ago

Idunn - thank you again Too kind :)

Kulsum Mehmood profile image

Kulsum Mehmood  says:
13 months ago

A great poem paraglider. Thumbs up.

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
13 months ago

Thanks Kulsum :)

Shalini Kagal profile image

Shalini Kagal  says:
13 months ago

Incredible! and the picture is wonderful - it's almost like it came into being from the poem - or rather, they both seem to flow from each other!

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
13 months ago

Hi Shalini - this poem and my brother's picture lived independently for quite a few years until I suddenly saw them as a pair. Call it serendipity!

Shalini Kagal profile image

Shalini Kagal  says:
13 months ago

Yes Paraglider - I read that earlier - that's why it's so amazing how well they fit!

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
13 months ago

Sorry - I'm repeating myself! I'd forgotten what I'd written in earlier comments. It's a long time ago :)

Teresa McGurk profile image

Teresa McGurk  says:
10 months ago

fate is a pheasant with salt on its dick?

wrists in the bath, or a surfeit of men -- very Dorothy Parker. wonderful lines.

warily wearily wobbly o. . .

This is so much better than the best of Edward Lear sprinkled with Lewis Caroll and seasoned with a little Spike Milligan.

Mighty Mom profile image

Mighty Mom  says:
10 months ago

And a little T.S. Eliot and Camus (Huis Clos) for good measure, perhaps. I love the cadence of your words the lift and lilt some truly inspired visual (rotting remains of a yak, parrot covered in glue).

Ok, I'll bite. Paraglider: You are an artist!

Looking forward to when you'll be back!! MM

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
10 months ago

Teresa and Mighty Mom - I can't believe there are so many influences in such a short poem :) Thanks for the read. And I've just realised that by switching all the ads off, it fixes the broken formatting. Better!

Aya Katz profile image

Aya Katz  says:
10 months ago

Not bad, Paraglider. Not bad at all!

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
10 months ago

Thanks Aya :)

marisuewrites profile image

marisuewrites  says:
9 months ago

What a treasure!!! Thanks for sharing it. I love to see into the mind of others by what they write and create. Art, all of it.

Paraglider profile image

Paraglider  says:
8 months ago

Marisue - there's a jester in all of us (I hope!)

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