Charlie's Room

It was just on the stroke of midnight,

I was going to go to bed,

But I had to pass by Charlie’s room

So I hung back there, instead,

I could hear the rattle of drums that came

From under his bedroom door,

And then the sound of a French ‘Huzzah!’

From a Napoleonic war.

 

I thought, ‘He’s at it again, he’s got

The Frenchies marching east,

He’s going to Borodino, where

He’s got a chance, at least,

He’s leading the French Grand Armée

As Napoleon did before,

But I couldn’t get in to stop him, as

He’d locked his bedroom door.

 

I shook my head and I went to bed,

There was no point hanging round,

For Charlie, he’d be up all night

‘Til the Armée went to ground,

By dawn he’d have them dragging back

From the Russian ice and snow,

And wouldn’t be fit to go to school

‘Til he’d had a sleep, you know.

 

He wasn’t a kid like other kids

He wouldn’t play with a phone,

He didn’t get into computer games

But he spent his time alone.

He didn’t make friends so easily

For he never went out to play,

But stuck his head in a history book

And would read and read all day.

 

They said he must have been gifted in

Some strange, abnormal way,

He used his imagination for

The games he wanted to play,

His mind reached back to another time

Where the personae were dead,

And brought them back for a second chance

On the counterpane of his bed.

 

I caught a glimpse of the action once

In a crack through his bedroom door,

A galleon moored in a harbour by

An armed Conquistador,

He saw me there and he slammed the door

And he said, ‘Don’t interfere!

I’m trying to raise the English Fleet

And I can’t if you’re standing there!’

 

His mother took him to town one day

To see a psychologist,

Who said, ‘He lives in a world of his own,

I think he’s really blessed.

We all grow out of our childish ways

And I think he’ll be the same.’

He thought it was all in Charlie’s head

‘Til the day that ‘Little Boy’ came.

 

He’d read and read of the second war

For a month until that day,

When I heard the aircraft engines I

Just knew, the ‘Enola Gay’,

I beat and beat upon Charlie’s door,

Broke out in a cold, cold sweat,

But the plane took off, and I grabbed the wife

And we’d still be running yet.

 

We were out in the road when the roof blew off

With a mighty blast and roar,

And the mushroom cloud was curling up

While we lay, flat out on the floor,

Charlie had gone from our lives for good

With his gift, and his bag of tricks,

Hard to believe that he had the power,

For Charlie was only six!

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[cimmy wuv xxxooo]

Brilliantly penned.
This is one of those poems that keeps you hooked and makes you want to read on.
This little story was interesting, makes you want to know whats going to happen next.
The rhyme scheme was also brilliant and was another thing that kept me reading, and made this piece sound so much more poetic, seems like your rhyming comes naturally to you, doesn't feel forced at all.
Your gifted this was an amazing piece, such deep meaningful, moving and powerful write :)
Keep writing you were clearly born to write :)

[Christina Carpenter]

I did not see that ending coming! But over all it is a very well put together piece

[wordman]

a wonderful story about so many children today and you painted a vivid picture of Charlie and more

[Lyn Anderson]

It's a great story, with a clever twist.

[m.s.early]

Your work should be in books David. You have been blessed with this gift of verse. Your plot and storytelling are impeccable and you have unquestionable exquisite imagery. You could be one of the great writers of our time. I'm proud to know you.

[Coyote Poetry]

A amazing story. Kids have the best imaginations. You brought me in with the good description and you gave me the surprise ending. Thank you for sharing the outstanding poetry.
Coyote

[Tina Louise UK]

wow, that was amazing, so very touching and so very sad. Really enjoyed this one :) x

[Tate Morgan]

Oh the power of a childs mind .Dave this is one of the best. As a man who holds to his childish ways I loved it .

[Marie]

This actually sent chills through me. I had to go get a swater.