Sun frolics upon freckled shoulders,
hat forsaken, nose kissed,
sunblock so painstakingly applied in June,
tossed aside, tan lines a criss-crossed map
upon my back as I follow floral paths
of golden whorls and sprightly grass,
track mid-day sun with upturned face,
imitate songs and arcs of darting swallows,
arms outstretched, leap over split rail fence,
imagine flight as summer unspirals.
Misty moon, a theatrical guide -
an emotional retelling of Annabelle Lee
a translucent lady searching for love -
what Edgar, in vain, thirsted lifelong
clandestine ground where words surely wooed -
due a father's disdain, were doomed
Romeo to her Juliet; passion, tragedy, eternity -
fodder for which a poet's muse
could only bloom and grow.
by Margaret Bednar, June 6, 2017
I adore Ghost Tours, and this was one of the best I've experienced - largely due to the gentlemen who hosted us. He was an actor, between jobs, and he knew how to tell a story, project so all could hear, and his ending recital of Edgar Allen Poe's "Annabelle Lee" was mesmerizing. The photo is NOT of her (six) grave(s), but another section in the graveyard.
As the story goes, Anna was rich and betrothed to another. Her love was not her father's choice - the young man was just a private in the army - they met secretly in the graveyard. Yet Edgar Perry (Allen Poe was his real name, but he lied about his name in order to be allowed to enlist) was transferred far away from Fort Moultrie. Anna became sick and died - before Edgar could return. Anna's father dug six graves - so Edgar would never know for sure where she lay in the place they once stole moments of love...
This is linked (late) to "Imaginary Garden of Real Toads Flash 55 Plus" (the bonus was Ghost Town - I tweaked it to Ghost Tour) and to "Imaginary Garden of Real Toads - The Tuesday Platform".
