”One does find elegance, sovereignty of soul, the discernment of thought, and unimaginable beauty in the oddest of places ... A Lady of The Royal Court ? A Courtesan of a wealthy Nobleman? No. One has only to open one's eyes and mind to know the possessor of such charms would take to such places of status as a snake takes to water.”
My first encounter with ” La Dame en Noir ” ... Open air poetry reading ... A beach at Trouville, Normandy ... Summer 1875 ... She would later publish under le nom de plume ” Anon ” which became a rebellion in itself for all women, whose works of prose and poetry would be repeatedly rejected by publishers if authored by a woman. Her best known work ” Philistine ” was published in the Autumn of 1879. She also went on to publish much of her work authored under the single letter ” J ” ... When queried by a local columnist what it stood for. She answered with a straight face, ”
Why it comes after, I”
1 SAMUEL 17:4-5
Like I a descendant of David
Like I a descendant of David
My forefathers Father
I too come before giants
You Philistines come with a sword
But I come to you with the name of the Lord
The Lord of Host
I come not to boast
I am of the God of Israel
I am of the God of Israel
In God he shall never fail
I am David and evil you are Philistine Goliath
Don’t talk about how dangerous and mighty you are
For I am empowered by Almighty God
Like I a descendant of David
Like I a descendant of David
My forefathers Father
I am God’s child and I won’t be defeated
Like I a descendant of David
My forefathers Father
I am God’s child and I won’t be deleted
For the evil you speak of you be defeated
7/6/25
Written words & music by James Edward Lee Sr.2025©
From “I CRY OUT TO YOU”
Goliath was a big threat to Israel
A giant with intimidating records
Of military prowess which turned Israelite soldiers
To a bunch of faithless cowards
And to an army of lily livered derelicts
As they capitulated in fear
And let the sleeping dog lie
While Goliath had his fill
Threatening God’s own army
But it took a lively faith and just a stone
To bring the mountain of a giant
Crashing to a disgraceful end
As David used faith as heavenly currency
To purchase heavenly grace
And brought the boastful philistine
To a dismal end
Are you faced with any life’s challenges?
Look back with faith on God’s track record in your life
And be filled with amazing strength and power
To overcome all Goliaths threatening your very existence
David & Goliath
And it came to pass that Philistia
and Israel waged war between them in
the Valley of Elah, where a compromise
was agreed to (one on one)
with the spoils of war
forfeited to the victorious.
And so, Saul asked, “How many behind me?”
And his general replied,
“With the Lord on our side,
there’s no need to count,
but there is one,
a shepherd willing to sacrifice his life.”
And so stepped forth David
clad in sheepskin, supporting a staff,
and Saul (grasping at straws) said,
“Dress the boy at the Lord’s behest,
and let it be known throughout Israel,
no greater hero is found.”
But David rejected Saul’s armour
and went out with a pouch of stones
and a sling to meet Goliath
and smote the Philistine,
and all Israel rejoiced,
for the Lord was on their side.
***
Reference:
Old Testament: 1 Samuel 17:1-58
cat owned by Philistine
they both liked the same cuisine
which was meat when lean
The stone that felled the Philistine
Was just a common river stone,
Worn smooth by the waters of the Jordan
Over years of being eroded and diminished,
Weathering the turbulence of existence
With stoic indifference.
It was just another rock,
Undistinguished by its nature,
Until that day it fostered legend,
Being useful for the tumult it endured.
Remember that the next time
You’re feeling old, tired, and useless.
You may yet come to be handy
In service of some noble endeavor
Because of having been so harshly fashioned,
And so smoothly polished.
"To everything there is a season
And a time for every purpose under heaven."
Delay by Him has taken its toll,
Waves of doubt rollover the soul,
Despair extinguished the Spirit,
Wax-filled ears would not hear it.
"Listen, you have left My way!
Wait for My providence and pray.
Change of direction is needed."
But His correction went unheeded.
The restless spirit wrests control,
God's will is no longer the goal,
The anxious heart is not ideal,
So, failing eyes, meet banana peel.
Seeking refuge in my enemy's camp,
I was turned into a foolish scamp,
Philistine mouths were agape.
So, I feigned madness to escape.
That was dumb, I'm ashamed to say,
Letting fear and doubt cloud my way.
The Lord's shelter never fails,
His faithful acts tell the tales.
Keep seeking the Lord in a trial,
Relying on Him is worthwhile.
Instead of becoming milquetoast-
In Him, a reason to boast.
"Come children and listen to Me.
Fear of the Lord will set you free!
Wait for Me to settle the score,
David teaches in Psalm thirty-four."
When Jesus turned water into wine
Some of the guests were heard to whine,
"It's such a waste
For us who taste!
Diluted Sherry is Philistine!"
n.b. Oenologist="wine snob"
In his heart was an intense glow
After his seeming superb show:
An unsurpassed Philistine Throw
Until whistled “A Disallowing No”
That nearly javelin blood flow
Stopped from his head to toe
And a seizure wired like a blow …
Clear that a bank account won’t grow,
A once hot spirit is icy snow;
For all this rousing with the cock’s crow!
Now a bow is sick and tired of an arrow,
A once healthy Toyota awaiting a tow.
My heart is broken I have no one- no one has me
I feel like I'm shunned yet I haven't gone out
In search of a soulmate
For myself loathing self whom I hate philistine and I dream
That one day I will go out and search out there I'll find
a special woman who will want me to be hers
2/13/22
Written words by James Edward Lee Sr © 2022
I started the engine of my wagon
And it began spitting the Fires of Dragon:
Hinckley’s alarming shots at Reagan!
But I kept firing Engine and Wagon,
And didn’t stop mouthing ‘Doggone!’
But they were still Hinckley’s insane bullets for Reagan
A finally vomited me at the Temple of Dagon,
For a Philistine bow by The New Pagan,
Wherefore God sent me a stopping Shagan,
With jealous instructions for me in Legon;
Into Smithereens blowing my wagon,
As idolatrous as Misguided Aaron
WAITING FOR DEATH
Daily I strolled, past this old man's house
And there he sat, from dawn to dusk
His mien, tenebrific uncompromisingly
Hunched in his chair, dried to the bone
Cold and crabby, waiting...just waiting
And so I dared ask one dreich, dreary day
"Good sir, what keeps you out here everyday?
"For I see, it takes a mighty bit of your time"
He spared me a frown, s disturbance I'd say
"I'm waiting for Death, that crafty crafty lout"
Confused I was, that one would pass time thus
I leaned on his fence, my curiosity compelled
For to me, this was one quite curious event
"Won't let that philistine sneak up on me" he said
"I'm smarter you see, won't be caught unawares"
"I made no investment, no profit I stacked"
"I lived my whole life at the barest I could"
"And stored not treasure, for that it would steal"
"And had me no pleasure, Ha! a surprise it'd be"
"Let death come for me, there is nothing to take"
I walked away, contemplating the perplexity
How a life would be wasted in such a wary way
For to await an event with no appointment
And to deprive oneself over such a quandary
Is in itself, i'd clearly say, a sad, very sad life.
Triumphty Truevity
David* prevailed as champ
over gigantic reign
by the Lord’s might.
Shepherd boy vanquished foe
superpowerfully
trusting God with his faith
to kingship height.
Failury Fitfury
Goliath midst great pride
met death through kid’s sling stone
he belittled.
Humiliating downfall
megabraggadoccio
had no match with Saviour
when embattled.
*1Samuel 17:45 Then said David to the Philistine, Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied.
December 31, 2020
3rd place, "Double Dactyl" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by William Kekaula; judged on 3/5/2021.
“The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion
and the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand
of this Philistine.” 1 Samuel 17:37 Bible NIV
RÉSUMÉ OF DAVID
a baby cub roars
the paw of his Father great —
a stone-cold giant
the resumé of David
now includes a bloody head
7/14/2020
I fancied myself growing up a free spirit
kind of crazy
unpredictable…you know what I mean
but as I’ve grown a little older I find…I like a good routine.
A routine that is predictable and filled with my favorite things…
Like waking up early and taking a walk as the birds begin to sing.
A routine that is relaxed
kind of cozy,
comfortable and stable...
like eating my favorite breakfast
in my favorite spot…next to Deborah at our table.
I have my favorite old TV shows
I love to watch when they repeat
Like Leave it to Beaver
Andy Griffith
and that one with Della Street
I have my favorite foods
I always smile when I greet them
I even have my favorite utensils
and my favorite way to eat them.
Wait! I don’t want you to get the wrong impression
I’m still ready to start something new
a new challenge
a new dare
It’s just now I usually consider my options
from the comfort of my favorite chair…
Where I contemplate how my free-spiritedness
(after all…I’m not a philistine!)
can fit in between my dinner at 6:00…
and my bedtime—9:15
Sub Categories
Looking for the formal definition, structure, and history of this poetry form? Visit the Poetry Dictionary entry below. Then return to explore how PoetrySoup members bring the form to life through their own poems.