Received a prompt from dVerse Poets Pub a few minutes ago, inviting poets to write and submit a poem about one of the awesome pictures provided by Reena Walkling at Missing Moments. One look at her photo titled, Pompei, and the following poem came pouring from my pen… er, um… keyboard. I hope you find it enjoyable!
The Last Watch
They stood watch
O’er the last park
Stoic and tall
Armor chinked and discolored
Silently they stood
Bravely they watched
Unarmed
Yet daunting
Many years they’d
Stood
Never once leaving
Their appointed duty
Not knowing
Those who’d bid them
Watch
Would not return
Dereliction
A thing not known
To silent sentries
Made of stone
Photo ~ Pompei by Reena
Copyright © 2012 C. Mashburn
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Marbles In My Pocket ~ The Official Blog of Charles L. Mashburn ~ Poems, Short Stories, and random thoughts from the author of "Be Still... and know that I am God" 
pandamoniumcat said
Oooh I like this…and that last stanza…wow! I really liked this picture, it can take you on many different turns. Nice!
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much, Diane! I like this picture, too. It really jumped out at me.
brian miller said
mmm nice on the silent sentries…i wonder just what will survive us as well after our time….to stand watch….this series of pics really grabbed me as well…and thinking on what happened there….nice charles…
charlesmashburn said
That’s where my mind went too, Brian–it goes there often these days.
Thanks for the great comment!
Grace said
I like the silent sentries…creative take on the picture….great to see you at D’verse ~
http://everydayamazin.blogspot.com/2012/02/afar.html
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, Grace! I’m happy to be in the pub!
seingraham said
So like trees, columns never really know when to give up the ghost, do they? A very nice poem Charles …
charlesmashburn said
Thank you for the comment! I’m glad you enjoyed the poem!
whimsygizmo said
Love that last stanza.
charlesmashburn said
Me too! I didn’t make it rhyme on purpose, but it seems to work.
Thanks for the visit and comment!
leah J. Lynn said
This was a great one, to give feelings and stature to ancient pillars, well done.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much! it just seemed to roll that way.
I appreciate the visit and comment!
Laurie Kolp said
A great capture of the picture… love that they are sentinels never leaving their duty.
charlesmashburn said
Thanks, Laurie! So glad you enjoyed it!
hiroshimem said
I love how your poem conveys the sense of heroism. And I love that word, “dereliction”, that always makes me think of relics in delirium 🙂
charlesmashburn said
Yes! That was the feeling I had when writing this. A sense of pride and accomplishment!
Thanks for the great comment!
markwindham said
nice job sir. good stuff
charlesmashburn said
Thanks, Mark! I appreciate the comment!
ManicDdaily said
Very lovely, Charles. Actual one of my favorites of yours. Sad, but stately. Good job. K.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you, K! I appreciate the nice comment!
wcg1670 said
history never sleeps…the deaf may not hear them, but the voice of then speaks on…we need to listen more
Peace
charlesmashburn said
So true! Thank you for the visit and comment!
Shawna said
“Dereliction
A thing not known
To silent sentries
Made of stone” … nice ending, Charles
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much, Shawna! I appreciate the visit and comment!
terri0729 said
Oh, I really liked this one Charlie!! Well done 🙂
charlesmashburn said
I’m glad you like it, Terri! Thanks for stopping by!
oceangirl said
I am enjoying this prompt because I can understand the poems based on the picture, and to discover the different takes. Never once leaving their appointed duty, somehow that is rather poignant to me.
charlesmashburn said
Yes, the pictures do addto the poems, sometimes in a startling way. Many good poems being posted with these photos!
Thanks for the visit and comment!
claudia said
very cool…
Many years they’d
Stood
Never once leaving
Their appointed duty…this could serve as a great metaphor as well..
charlesmashburn said
I agree, and it was in my mind as I wrote this.
Thanks for the visit and comment, Claudia!
Stu mcpherson said
Great metaphor- the columns as soldiers. I think your form and use of words evoked a real sense of history- tradition almost. Really liked the idea of columns as sentries- makes me think about all of the other silent guardians in the world who look over us.
charlesmashburn said
I was struck by the grass–the park–the columns surround. It evoked an image of a park once filled with children and parents, never to be used again.
Thanks for the visit and thought-filled comment, Stu. Very much appreciated!
Sherry Mashburn said
If only they could speak, what tales would we hear . . .
charlesmashburn said
They’ve seen a lot, I betcha!
hedgewitch said
You give those columns a real personality here–and that perfectly straight line does make one think of a line of sentinels, their purpose gone but duty unchanged. Enjoyed it Charles.
charlesmashburn said
Thank you very much! I appreciate the kind words!
Chazinator said
Wow, so well chiseled in words like the words on ancient arches. You really caught the spirit of the photo as well, I think, as of the columns themselves. I haven’t been to any classical sites yet, but have admired the civilizations from words and history for most of my life. Your finely hewn words nicely memorialize what I understand of their meaning and often, sadly, of the imperial import. I admire, though, the tone of respect that your words convey, since one must respect the achievements of the human spirit as well. Stoic in nature, though, I think your poem also resonates with the recognition of how time brings to ruin all such human undertaking.
charlesmashburn said
I love the way you see all this in the poem, Charles. Makes feel as though I did a good job telling what I saw in the picture.
Thank you very much for the thought-filled comment!
zongrik said
i like how you see the columns a sentinels
private dreamliner
charlesmashburn said
Thanks for the visit and comment, Zongrik!