An Old Man's Elegy

An Old Man's Elegy

All the people went home;
There was no place to go.
Shadows laughingly mocked them,
As they made their way home in the snow.

They sold the old man's house,
To the highest bid.
When the gavel came down,
It sealed the final nail on the lid.

The poor man ruminated
By day and by night.
The townspeople had done him wrong; 
And there was no way to change the wrong to a right.

Something sinister ensued, that terrible night;
And nothing could ever make things the same.
One by one, in the shadows of  night,
His final elegy in state, to clear his good name.

Morning broke early in the fog and the mist.
He had slept in the wood completely alone.
For all his righteous sins this old grieving man -
He would wholly atone.

You see what he did was to pay them threefold;
In precious gems and a handful of gold.
He told them his house was his life and his home;
Never again would they sell it nor would he ever to roam.

May 20, 2016        Contest: Any Poem You Ever Wrote NOT for A Contest
Copyright © | Year Posted 2016

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Merryman Avatar
July 14, 2016 at 9:21 PM
This has an air of mystery to it. Great write, R.A.! Congrats on your placement in the contest.
Marschall Avatar
July 14, 2016 at 10:38 PM
Kim, Thank you so much for reading. Appreciate your kind comment!
Eastman Avatar
July 14, 2016 at 10:00 AM
Very haunting and interesting write. Congratulations on the win... and having been featured.
Marschall Avatar
July 14, 2016 at 8:55 PM
Carol, Thank you! The poem was intentionally written to present a bit of mystery and intrigue.
Marschall Avatar
June 25, 2016 at 7:40 AM
Ruben O. The poem was only submitted one time. I did edit it to make a revision, although this should not have changed the placement. It was featured as the Poem of the Week by Poetry Soup. Appreciate your read.
Callus Avatar
May 31, 2016 at 3:39 AM
I'm impressed and touched by this poem, Richard. Shrouded in mystery, curiously musing on what happened prior to this. ~ Welcome to Soup. ~ Regards // paul
A  Avatar
May 21, 2016 at 12:52 AM
Richard Marschall, Welcome to Poetry Soup. It will be a delight to read and become familiar with your poems in the future. As for now, I will greet you with the same smile others passed when I first joined the soup. Wishing you and your poetry the best. I hope you get to meet all the nice poets around here STARTING with me- SKAT :) Drop a hello and tell me a little about yourself if you wish. I would like to be your newest poetry soup "FRIEND" Hugs* SKAT
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