Biography - Two thirds of a sestina for Olive Slater

By Ray Schaufeld

Fri, 30 Aug 2013
  • 3070 reads
11 comments
 

 

 

She would hang her jumpers on the line
On the one unbreakable day of summer
Eyeballing her was Basil the tabby cat
I walked down to the back green from my top floor flat
Knowing that Olive Slater was safe and well
Memories of my long gone Scottish friend
 
These things must define Olive my old friend
She was always there, constant in winter and summer
Her stance on the stair talking, her love for the cat
Her vigour, though her jumpers and raincoat were flat
Colours, blues and browns she laundered well
Outspoken too, she laid it on the line
 
Kind hearted but  I knew to draw the line
And let her say her piece, she was the elder friend
'Your daffodils did fine outside the flat
Till Charlene picked them for her mum that summer
Mind you, your crocuses didn't do so well.
Basil, come here now - you don't  love that cat'
 
She talked me into giving her my cat
That time she cared for him when I wasn't well
It all went wrong for me one Scottish summer
I lost the plot and couldn't toe the line
And she was one of few who stayed a friend
When I came down and everything fell flat
 
Winter and summer I recall my flat
And now I pen a line and always will think well
of Basil the cat and Olive my good old friend.
 
 
 

 

Certificate U
Poem
I came to Scotland to study English
Biography

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Good morning elsie,  it was a pleasure to read your thoughts in this poem.  Thank you for sharing.  Jenny.

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Thanks Jenny,  your comment is much appreciated. Elsie.

Submitted by Bee on

Hi elsie. 

There is a lot of feeling in your words, and a story well told. 

I enjoyed reading your poem, too.

 

Bee

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Thanks! It's lovely to get good comments.   Elsie

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Paints a lovely picture with great sensitivity.  Very human.

Parson Thru

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Thank you so much!  Elsie

Submitted by TVR on

Yes, I enjoyed this one too, Elsie. Nice sentiments, well expressed and
musings I could connect with. Well done.

 

Trevor

 

 

 

TVR

Submitted by The royster on

All the above, what is there to add.     Excellent sentiments. Roy

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

 

Submitted by Ray Schaufeld on

Thanks for reading, and how lovely to have a reader who  picks which of my work to read and comment on as an independent spirit.! So many of of my readers seem to go by how many readers the piece already had or whether it has cherries. Shouldn't grumble but directing readers is like herding cats. I always go by the title.        Elsie

Submitted by The royster on

I think titles can be a good guide. Also, being a newish member, there is an awful lot of reading to do. I don't think I could ever catch up with such great works. So I guess it's pick out what looks good and hope I dont miss anything.  Not been disappointed so far.  Back soon.  Roy