Welcome to my blog, where I take pleasure in words and pictures, be they my own or those of others. I'm a creative individual, and the crafty side I explore on my 'other blog', Picking Up The Threads, which I hope you'll visit too. I'm sure you understand that I have sole copyright of my original work and any of my contributions, so please ask if you want to use them. A polite request is rarely refused. So, as they used to say on the BBC's 'Listen With Mother' radio programme, many years ago: "Are you sitting comfortably? Then we'll begin."

Sunday 7 October 2012

Jilted


Upon the pillow soft and deep,
She laid her head, but not to sleep,
She sighed so soft that few would hear,
She sobbed and wiped a bitter tear,
Sick Woman, by Jan Steen 1665
Her cheeks so pink on her wedding day,
Were drained of colour now and grey,
Poor Edith looked so pale and wan,
Her hopes all dashed, her prospects gone,
They tried to soothe her worried frown,
And hid from view her wedding gown,
Cold comforts whispered in her ear;
“You know he was too old my dear,
At times like this please let us judge,
You’d end up as an old man’s drudge,
Before you’d reached your thirtieth year,
Instead of healthy babes we fear, 
You’d be nursing him and pushing his chair,
And be worn to a shadow in his care,
His withered arm could not enfold you
His damaged hand not touch or hold you,
It was a brave and selfless act,
To end it there and that’s a fact”,
But Edith brushed them all aside,
No longer now the jilted bride,
“It wasn’t him, Oh can’t you see?
It’s Down to nobody but me,
My wish was just to live Abbey ever after,
And follow it next year with a BAFTA!”

© Marilyn Brindley


Taking part in The Mag, where Tess Kincaid gives us an image to see the creative wheels in motion. Having just watched Lady Edith being jilted in ITV's 'Downton Abbey', I was struck by the similarity!

23 comments:

  1. Oh this is a hoot- love it! Well done!

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  2. Entertaining, indeed! The ending really took me by surprise.

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  3. love it....love edith but can't stand that lady mary..this is so cool!

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  4. You are on a poetic roll. Entertaining to the end. I'm not allowed to talk when Downton is on so I just cuss at the adverts.

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  5. Well written and ending as all good funnies should' with a twist.
    Maybe it is you should go to BAFTA!

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  6. How superb your twisty-bit of creative writing was! A dash of tenderness interwoven with lines one could stand right up and sing, like "were drained of colour now and grey" and just while I got the motion of deep emotion rolling you toss in an outstanding finish, which took me completely by surprise! Loved it!

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  7. I love the comparison of a baby and sick old man. If it weren't so true, I'd be laughing.

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  8. I green at "to live Abbey ever after." You are too hilarious ;-)

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  9. Love it, you are the best. I can totally understand your poetry, M. and that is saying something!

    Kathy M.

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  10. Nice one, Nell. I don't watch it, myself, but I get the gist.

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  11. At first i was baftad by this, Nell , but now i sense it unravellimg in all its glorious complexity, thanks so much, honorific !

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  12. And who would not like to live in Downton Abbey? :-)

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  13. Wonderful take on a great show! Your rhyme is perfect.

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  14. So good to be in on the joke...for a moment there, you almost had me!

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  15. Only a very talented writer with a strong creative bent, could take what they just watched on TV and connect to a 17th century Dutch painting in perfect rhymes. I loved the clever way you clued us in at the end with the word play, too! Thank you for sharing the fun, Little Nell.

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  16. Brilliant Nell - love it!

    Anna :o]

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  17. Well done! This is so clever :)

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