Gary Radice Poet Narrative

Notes About The Poem

---

Originally published: 14th December 2020

Image: gR

With my thanks and apologies to Lewis Carroll and Geoffrey Chaucer.

 

 

 

 

THE WONDERLAND SERIES

I:      Prologue
II:    The Hatter's Tale
III:   The Watchmaker's Tale
IV:   The Hairdresser's Tale
V:    The Chef's Tale
VI:   The Sailor's Tale
VII:  The Preacher's Tale
VIII: Conclusion

---

 

Wonderland VII: The Preacher's Tale

- Readers, I hope you forgive me.
I’m retracting some words I once said:
I'd planned to write just five of these tales
But I've added a sixth tale instead..


Night

The preacher was searching for Duchess
Also known as 'The Tabard Inn Cat'.
Scared by the storm she'd run out of the inn
And knocked over his drink where he sat.

That event brought an end to his chess game:
The first he had played in a while.
His worthy opponent who sipped water had said
That his comforting words made her smile.

The preacher had stood from the table.
Looking scared and somewhat distraught.
He felt for some reason there was trouble ahead
And proclaimed that the cat should be caught.

He'd opened the door of The Tabard
And was met by the sound of the rain.
A sailor pushed past him and into the bar
As the preacher limped off down the lane.


Later That Night

The last person to see him still breathing 
Was sadly not sober at all.
A 'top-hatted' man who was heading for home
Thought he saw someone scaling a wall.

He swore that he saw something smiling
And eyes that stared back and looked weird.
It was all very dark and his mind wasn't right
Then the shadows he saw disappeared.


The Morning After

The preacher was found dead the next morning
He had fallen it seemed from a height.
Whispers and rumours were swirling around
Like the wind from that wet stormy night:

 - "He had feelings for a woman who's taken.."

- "Their love was just dead on the shelf!"

- "He was burdened by guilt with his faith and all that"

- "That cat was the devil itself!"


Later That Week

A sermon revealed at his service
(That the whole town had turned out to see)
That the preacher was an animal lover
And had suffered with PTSD.

You see he was once a brave soldier
But lost hate when he lost his right leg.
He left to preach love and bring all things together:
..He was truly an all-round good egg.

♡Like0

Share Poem

---

Post Comments

Poetrysoup is an environment of encouragement and growth so only provide specific positive comments that indicate what you appreciate about the poem. Negative comments will result your account being banned.

Please Login to post a comment

John Watt July 25, 2022 at 4:51 PM Gary, you've taken great pains to paint all of these character portraits with a level of complexity and mystery, which adds layers of interest, intrigue, and empathy/antipathy. I particularly liked how you flipped the Humpty Dumpty personality in the preacher so that he was a genuinely benevolent person (in spite of the rumours that were floated). I enjoyed the intersection with the mad hatter and Cheshire cat in this segment, and the word play of "all-round good egg". What an intricate tapestry you weave! Gary Radice July 25, 2022 at 10:27 PM Thanks John All you describe is all that I set out to do so your comments are music to my ears. It was at this point in the series that I was going backwards and forwards to my Prologue to 'shoehorn' the characters' actions into the proceedings. (I mentioned the sailor in this tale too who was about to get drunk before attempting suicide.) Thanks so much for sticking with it all John. Cheers - Gary

Sara Kendrick December 14, 2020 at 1:50 PM So humpty dumpty had a great fall so to speak. I enjoyed reading this one which has good flow, rhythm, and rhyme. Sara Gary Radice December 14, 2020 at 2:47 PM 2) I left open the idea of the Preacher possibly committing suicide on account of his PTSD or guilt..or maybe he slipped trying to reach the cat..or..maybe the cat caused his fall..or maybe he was pushed by someone? I wanted to beef up his character and story as his sermon - at the time - was deemed by some to be long and boring in The Canterbury Tales. Gary Radice December 14, 2020 at 2:18 PM 1) Hi Sara. Thanks so much for your comments. He left the army (I like to think The King's Men) to help - spiritually - put people back together again. Through the Looking Glass Humpty is contemptuous and speaks rudely to people. I flipped him here through the Preacher and made him the opposite. Cheers - Gary.

Old Buck December 14, 2020 at 1:42 PM Well done lad. This one died a happy man. Troubled but touched by God to do the right thing. I guess only the cat will know for sure what happened. The young chess mate will miss him for sure. What a wonderful story. It well deserves it's place amidst the rest. Thanks again for sharing with all of us on the soup. oldbuck Gary Radice December 14, 2020 at 2:24 PM 2) ..and yes the hairdresser (Alice) will miss the games of chess with him. :) Gary Radice December 14, 2020 at 2:07 PM 1) Thanks again Old buck. The last tale in The Canterbury Tales was that of The Parson - The Preacher here. (Some believed at the time that it read more like a sermon than a tale!) After writing the final tale Chaucer then offered a retraction of all his work for some reason. This may have been guilt he felt on religious grounds. Cynics believe Chaucer wasn't really apologizing, but was actually plugging his work. I've played around with the idea of a retraction in the opening. Yes, the preacher died having helped others and as for The Cheshire Cat? ..Possibly responsible for 2 deaths. :) Cheers - Gary