in pere’ lachaise
the remains of the long dead
and the recent dead
rest on four acres
of carefully tended
grounds…
in pere lachaise at midnite
the ghost of balzac
stumbles about
cousin bette on his lips
spewed out in gravely
brilliance
proust reminds them all
as he repeats his lines over
and over:
illness is the doctor to whom we pay most heed; to kindness, to knowledge, we make promise only; to pain we obey
ms. bernhardt appears
in lace and satins
a tattered old script
hangs from elegant fingers
as she perfects each
line from a last
stolen role…
morrison careens up and down
path after crazy path
whiskey bottle in one hand
notebooks of poetry in the other
as he prepares for his daily run
from the fans who give him
little peace
they sneak over fences
eluding the nightime guards
his works still hang
in memory
from a ghostly thin arm
his poetry mumbled
like dark liquid
half full as it drips
saturating into the ground below him..
wilde, toklas and gertrude
sip brandy from broken snifters
still speaking in dreams
of salon days
in gay paree
planning the next guest list
for the shining stars
of art’s overflowing cups…
chopin’s magick plays
as background
concertos of ancient wonder
emerge
from a clear night’s silence
while the waking dead
arise to hear tinkling keys of ivory
welcoming the evening’s show…
in pere’ lachaise
morning’s first light paints
parisian rose across
the quiet skies
as raphael, keeper of their memories
enters the gates
they all gather about behind him
laughing. twittering
running bony fingers
through his gypsy hair
in his ears they whisper
tomes delivered regarding
the seriousness of death
they follow as he begins his rounds
protecting these
the honored dead
from the foraging
of the damaged living
in daylight’s pere’ lachaise
AH,
In pere’ lachaise
A place,
Where shadows dance,
The poet,
Truly sees,
And spirits appease
The rhythm….
Lindalou…. this captures the place so nicely. Looking forward to more from your journey and happy to know you are home safely. Love your work. Love you.
Phil
tre bien
magical place indeed