The Solitary Oak on Mount Kremlin-Bicêtre
by T. Wignesan
for Jean Lapresle, the “Father” of neuro-pathology in France: 1909-2000
On Bicêtre Mount a stately oak did spread its unmeshed
boughs to swarms of sparrows beating retreat
To turtle-doves and flapping pigeon-mates a frolicksome
haven
Where now on thunder-split crutches hop the mocking
magpie
Its black upturned tail uppity down high-domed arches’
smooth-shorn limbs
Desolate within chilled-threaded casements of fading
green
Sleek crows guard the sentinel post where gentle souls
tread lonesome
Once his benign fiery eye caught the tame light in lame
downcast distress
Novice and apprentis sorciers sought the shelter of his
umbrella wing
The charge-nurse at his beck and call
Under the official seal of his high personal chair
Now the lordly craftsman called to lay down his tools in
honorary quack contempt
By some aging loyal birds too meek to fly away
Too lame to avoid the headlong charge down tearing fate
Had him appear in white blouson for the nonce’s sake
No nurse to jump at the phone’s end
No student his ears peeled to every question
No professorial stamp at his command
“You know he takes no new patients…”
The voice trailing hoarse and dead
Carting rough brown bulky dossiers in his failing arms
Furtive
Distraught
A Visitor in his home
Nay A thief in his fiefdom
He stalks a room any room for a moment’s reprieve
The hand now shaky
The date a tussle with memory
Then the long unnoticed wait at the central desk
To ask for his patient the next bi-annual appointment
Patient
Like a patient
A whole life ministering to other personal needs
“When you no more have the charge of the place…”
His eyes want to plead in lieu of apology
Then abruptly the bi-annual rendez-vous is blocked
No excuse no reason is proffered
Only by chance you surmise
The frail fallen oak lies limp in some forsaken lot
T. Wignesan
Copyright ©:
(c) T. Wignesan – Paris, August 1, 2004
A few random poems:
- To L. R. E. by Sara Teasdale
- After-Thought poem – Lord Alfred Tennyson poems
- A Song by Thomas Carew
- Icicles round a Tree in Dumfriesshire by Ruth Padel
- Владимир Маяковский – Помощь не придет на такой вой… (Главполитпросвет №14)
- Владислав Крапивин – В южных морях и у севера дальнего
- Олег Бундур – Учительница открыла журнал
- Feroke
- Яков Полонский – Наплывает туча с моря
- River by Shaunna Harper
- Astrophel and Stella: III by Sir Philip Sidney
- Hope for a New World by Raj Napal
- Postures by Martina Reisz Newberry
- The Fancy Feäir At Maïden Newton by William Barnes
- Федор Тютчев – К портрету государственного канцлера, князя А.М. Горчакова
External links
Bat’s Poetry Page – more poetry by Fledermaus
Talking Writing Monster’s Page –
Batty Writing – the bat’s idle chatter, thoughts, ideas and observations, all original, all fresh
Poems in English
- Иван Крылов – Ода, выбранная из псалма 14-го
- Иван Крылов – Лиса-строитель (Басня)
- Иван Крылов – Лев состаревшийся (Басня)
- Иван Козлов – Умирающая Эрменгарда
- Иван Коневской – Воскресение
- Иван Коневской – В небывалое
- Иван Елагин – Спрашивал ответа
- Иван Дмитриев – Сверчки
- Иван Дмитриев – Старик и трое молодых
- Иван Дмитриев – Смерть и Умирающий
- Иван Дмитриев – Слепец, Собака его и Школьник
- Иван Дмитриев – Шарлатан
- Иван Демьянов – Парикмахер рак-омар
- Иван Демьянов – Одежкин домик
- Иван Бунин – Норд-ост
- Иван Бунин – Ночного неба свод далекий
- Иван Бунин – Ночлег
- Иван Бунин – Ночь идет, и темнеет
- Иван Бунин – Никогда вы не воскреснете, не встанете
- Иван Бунин – Нет солнца, но светлы пруды
More external links (open in a new tab):
Doska or the Board – write anything
Search engines:
Yandex – the best search engine for searches in Russian (and the best overall image search engine, in any language, anywhere)
Qwant – the best search engine for searches in French, German as well as Romance and Germanic languages.
Ecosia – a search engine that supposedly… plants trees
Duckduckgo – the real alternative and a search engine that actually works. Without much censorship or partisan politics.
Yahoo– yes, it’s still around, amazingly, miraculously, incredibly, but now it seems to be powered by Bing.
Parallel Translations of Poetry
The Poetry Repository – an online library of poems, poetry, verse and poetic works