Duels and Meanings ~ Poetry in Dialogues

Jean-LÃ©on GÃ©rÃ´me (1824â€“1904)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â ~ Â Â Â Â Â Duel After a Masquerade Ball

Duels and Meanings

Pantalone:

The fool's heart bleeds by the foil!

And, here, the mourning has just begun,

For the wound is deeper than his soul...

A soul as resplendent as the sun ~

IlÂ Dottore:

Alas, poor lad!... My heart is wrung,

And resounds like a bell of mourning,

For there is no one as fair as a fool,

And none so fair as he this morning.

Il Capitano:

I, that bore his arms on the field,

Must bear him thus, by his arm, as he fall.

I am now as fallen as his own mantle,

For I fear I shall be bearing his pall.

Harlequin:

Words and weapons, all the same...

His offense was to the core!

And must not honour be upheld?

... For that is what duels are for!

Tecumseh:

I regret this deed I've done,

Over words that now seem so less dear,

I curse the steel and the customs,

That stole all honour here.

Pierrot:

I am foiled... I am undone...

Take these last words to my Columbine:

'I have loved thee to the last drop

Of this wounded heart of mine.'

~Mustafa Demiri

Comments: 33

Bernard C. Jan 28, 2013, 3:49am UTC

Il Dottore and Tecumseh are my favourites upon first reading, though they are all very well written

Thank you for sharing and submitting to
The Surreal Circus.

Mustafa Demiri Jan 28, 2013, 7:10pm UTC

Thank you, Bernard, ... The names of the various characters in the body of this post are set as links to Wikipedia pages that do a pretty good job of describing the characters.... They are, with the exception of Tecumseh, all stock characters of the Comedia Dell'Arte ... Since one of the men was dressed as a native American, I had to do a bit of treasure hunting and found that the name Tecumseh had the desired aesthetic.

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lynn a. Jan 28, 2013, 7:37am UTC

Mustafa, I read this poem and then read it again and again. What I keep thinking is if I could just keep these thoughts in consciousness at all times, everyday. This is a beautiful poem of such a sad story. Makes one think deeply.

Mustafa Demiri Jan 28, 2013, 9:16pm UTC

It's so good to hear from you again! Thank you, Lynn, for your kind appraisal. I suppose that I write poems like these for that very same reason... to keep these thoughts in consciousness.

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JOHN BECK Jan 28, 2013, 8:37am UTC

Duels have not disappeared from our society, only have the swords. Fabulous poetry, Mustafa.

elizabeth evans Jan 28, 2013, 3:47pm UTC

I was thinking the same thing, John. On the streets of LA and the ghettos of our large cities (Chicago comes to mind), duals occur every day. How senseless.

Mustafa Demiri Jan 28, 2013, 9:33pm UTC

Thank you, John and Elizabeth... The saddest reality of all is that no matter how hard we try to instill the tenants of peace and love, there are those that will have none of it... There are those whose hearts are so twisted in hatred that the idea of peace, love and compassion seems a trait of weakness... or else something so absurd to their thinking, as it provokes them to the derision of those exhibiting such feelings.

JOHN BECK Jan 28, 2013, 9:41pm UTC

Unfortunately some are raised that way.

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Douglas Raymond ROSE Jan 28, 2013, 12:09pm UTC

Most inspirationaly written. Thanks

Mustafa Demiri Jan 28, 2013, 9:34pm UTC

Thank you, Douglas ... glad you liked it.

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Priscilla P. Jan 28, 2013, 2:33pm UTC

Most provocative

Mustafa Demiri Jan 28, 2013, 9:36pm UTC

I am nothing, if not provocative.... Just kidding... I do thank you for your kind remark.

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Kathryn Flynn Jan 28, 2013, 3:05pm UTC

Revenge, justice, anger, trials are for nought when the heart who's lost change cannot.

Absolutely brilliant, Mustafa.

Mustafa Demiri Jan 28, 2013, 9:37pm UTC

I love these poetic comments best... Thank you, Kathryn.

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elizabeth evans Jan 28, 2013, 3:48pm UTC

â€¨ Featured in Triple Name Club.

Mustafa Demiri Jan 28, 2013, 9:38pm UTC

Thanks for the feature, Elizabeth.

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Granny Janny Jan 28, 2013, 6:49pm UTC

so...perfectly tragic. Featured poetry now on Poet's Weekly Muse!

Mustafa Demiri Jan 28, 2013, 9:50pm UTC

Thank you, Jan...
I seldom deal in tragedy,
But a feeling had come over me.

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Mariana T. Jan 29, 2013, 3:29pm UTC

Inside of every tragic moment, is a ray of light creeping through somewhere - I loved reading this and feeling it as well - thank you my friend. Salud

Mustafa Demiri Feb 1, 2013, 12:28am UTC

You are right, when you speak of light,
there is something in human plight,
That causes the lanterns of our souls
To burn just a little more bright.
... It seems that we must meet the darkness,
with something brave and bright.

Thank you, my brilliant friend,
Salud, Felicidad, and Goodnight.

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stephen berwaldt Jan 29, 2013, 9:19pm UTC

Beautiful writing, my friend. Impressive how a single event happens to many and each has a different perspective, depending of how they are affected by the outcome. You so write beautifully.

Thank you for posting your work here at Gather's Luminous Writers and Artists. Now Featured.

Mustafa Demiri Feb 1, 2013, 12:30am UTC

Thank you, my friend, Your words fortify this weary soul... I appreciate them very much... All the best.

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Susan Budig - Mindful Poet Jan 29, 2013, 11:55pm UTC

Ah, Renard! I felt as though I had stepped back in time and picked up an old, old book from some grand library and read one of the best of the poems contained therein.

I never tire of reading your offerings and am always grateful that you've shared with us.

Mustafa Demiri Feb 1, 2013, 12:39am UTC

Ah, Thank you, Susan... because it is, for me ,
To be compared to the poets of antiquity,,
A wreath of laurels I would wear
With all due dignity.

Susan Budig - Mindful Poet Feb 1, 2013, 12:58am UTC

A wreath of laurels, once did dress
Your head because of how you pressed
Words into forms and lines aglee
When you were crowned Mindful Poetry's
Poet Laureate

In two months' time, we'll start anew
I'll prompt and prod with tiny clue
My Mindful members will endeavor
To think up something super clever
At any rate

Mustafa Demiri Feb 1, 2013, 1:28am UTC

I am very eager, and can hardly wait
To join in and participate,
Under April's moon... until the wee hours late
And until will crown a new laureate...

From Atticus, to myself, to the wonderful John Beck
This esteemed honour did go.
But for me the greatest honour has been
All the wonderful poets I've gotten to know.

Susan Budig - Mindful Poet Feb 1, 2013, 1:43am UTC

Tut-tut, I should not keep you up
But our squirrely verse does beckon
By April's end, the winning cup
Will be bestowed, I reckon

Good night, Sir Fox!

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Ann Marcaida Jan 30, 2013, 2:46pm UTC

Thank you for the education in stock characters! I had to look of most of the names, so i appreciate your links. I found the ode to Il Capitano very moving.

Thanks for sharing with Gather's Luminous Writers and Artists. Featured and tweeted.

Mustafa Demiri Feb 1, 2013, 12:48am UTC

It is my pleasure... I'd known of Pierrot and Harlequin for most of my life, don't remember when I'd first encountered them, but the others were recent discoveries for me as well. I hope that I have inspired you to something new.

Thanks for everything, you are a wonderful friend.

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Chris Brockman Jan 31, 2013, 8:04pm UTC

A poignant drama in six acts! Well done, Mustafa.

Mustafa Demiri Feb 1, 2013, 12:52am UTC

Thank You, Chris... I am glad to know that you liked it.

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Barbary C. Feb 1, 2013, 8:25pm UTC

Your words are charged with flashes of light - to me reading and remembering every dueling story I've ever read. I do love them and this as well.

A deep bow to you, Sir.

Mustafa Demiri Feb 2, 2013, 9:09pm UTC

Thank you, Barbary, and I bow back to you, as I thank you for your lovely comment.

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Duels and Meanings ~ Poetry in Dialogues

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