Peter Pan

He’d buried his head in manuscripts

And books for twenty years,

He’d kept himself to himself had never

Ventured down the stairs,

His meals were brought on a silver tray

His clothes were laundered and pressed,

No callers came to his stately rooms

To invade his hours of rest.

 

He’d turned his back on the world out there

When young, and his sister went,

His parents left the estate to him

Though most of the money was spent,

He had no interest in state affairs,

No more in the works of man,

Looked rarely out of the windows

Of his mansion, Maison Grande.

 

He studied the force of nature,

Tempests, storms, tornado files,

Read books on the brontosaurus,

Mammoths, raptors, crocodiles,

The only women he knew of,

Little girls like his sister Ann,

He lived like a boy forever

In his mind, like Peter Pan.

 

He didn’t hear when the Bailiffs

Took his furniture from below,

Cleaned out the candelabra

Caused his silver trays to go,

Ripped up the hallway carpet

Took the Louis the XVI chairs,

And finally came up knocking

When they exhausted the loot downstairs.

 

He stood in shock when they carried off

His desk of Baltic Pine,

Ripped the books from the shelves and

Took the last of his stock of wine,

He saw the bills he’d neglected when

The cook came up to quit,

Her owed her three months wages and

That was the least of it.

 

The man from the real estate came up,

A man called Arty Hook,

The name sat deep in his memory

Had he read it in some old book?

The Maison Grande would have to be sold

Could he please vacate it now,

The outside world burst into his head

Ran furrows across his brow.

 

His sister came to lead him away,

He went confused, like a child,

He didn’t know what he’d have to do

But his thoughts were running wild,

There were people here, and people there

Each wanting a piece of him,

But he had nothing to offer them,

The future was looking grim.

 

Ann had a friend called Wendy who

Came round to see to his needs,

The first real woman he’d seen up close

Since before his early teens,

He noticed the perfume that she wore,

And watched her walk with a sway,

The child that had lived in the Maison Grande

Was slowly drifting away.

 

He felt her breath caressing his cheek

When she leaned in close to speak,

And sensed the draw of those ruby lips

And the softness of her cheek,

Her body warmth seemed to comfort him

When they sat on the old divan,

‘Til the night she said, in her negligée,

‘It’s time to make you a man!’

 

They called around to the real estate

Next day, and collared Hook,

‘We won’t be selling the Maison Grande

You can take it off your book.

For Wendy’s paid off the debtors, and

We’re planning to move back in,

I remember you, and the crocodile,

You can try but you’ll never win!’

 

He got a job at the Uni with

The knowledge he had in store,

And made his mark as a tutor

Teaching English Literature,

While Wendy used all her talents to

Remodel the Maison Grande,

And he excelled with his students

When he was teaching Peter Pan.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[David Scott]

You found a way to expand on a classic. Many have tried in movies and stories of their own, but you have done it better than any I have seen to date. This line of reasoning is so universal to the condition of a man's soul and the value of a good woman. I still dream of mermaids and I hope I never stop! ha
Sincere gratitude to you my friend for this pleasant journey.
Be well.

[Ravyne Hawke]

Well done! Love your take on Peter Pan. The ole fellow seemed such a recluse that I feared he'd gone mad. Glad to see it only took the love of a woman to waken him up again.

[Writer *78*]

peter pan is one of my favorite books of all time i never get tired of reading other versions such as this one bravo very well written a classic and put once more on my favorites list.

[Wendy Seames Garner]

Since my name is Wendy, I am always happy to read another Peter Pan story. Quite a different - and enjoyable - version of the old tale.

[Tate Morgan]

I suppose i have met a character or two who could fit this bill.Always there is a woman who handles his affairs. What man wouldnt give it all for a good woman? As men we want adventure but we dont want responsibility that slows us down.I like that I can roam and still will always have that place the one I still call home

[Clayton Bardwell]

Oh boy I love this. What for the love of a woman would the stock of a mans life be?

[minisla]

Liked the Title lots of ways of grasping the ideals behind this one. Excellent

[Valentine]

From a recluse to a king of literature..you really told this tale differently..Nice job on this..Valentine

[Damien Davison]

You never cease to put a smile on my face when it comes to your writing ability. All the words you use and rhymes you display is very mentally refreshing. I thought the story line was alright, but the way you write turns anything in to a great adventure! Thanks for sharing!

[Enid Blake]

A great twist on the originals :)

[Marie]

I've always loved this book. You did a wonderful job of bringing it to another sort of life.