The Key

The beach swept away in the distance,

The tide as far out as could be,

A couple were laughing and playing there,

She’d cuffed him, in fun, to a tree,

‘Now that isn’t fair, Isabella,’

He’d laughed, as she danced in the sand,

‘You’re going to be mine, Richard Andrew Devine

Or forever be tied to the land.’

 

She taunted and teased and annoyed him,

He said, ‘I just want to be free!’

She spun on the sand and she held out her hand

And she laughed as she dangled the key.

‘You can stay ‘til I hear your proposal,

It’s like squeezing out blood from a stone,

If you fail to propose, this relationship’s closed

And I’ll leave you out here on your own.’

 

‘We’ve talked about this, Isabella,

And you know it can’t possibly be,

I’m already wed, when you came to my bed…

For God’s sake, just throw me the key!’

‘You know that you’ve never been happy,

With her, or with all of her friends,

It’s time you got rid of the lot of them,

It’s time you were making amends.’

 

‘I said at the start, Isabella,

That a fling was the most it could be,’

A shadow passed over his worried brow

As he looked at the incoming sea.

‘That might have been in the beginning,

But you know it’s gone further than that,

I’m having your child, did you know, in a while

And I’ll not have you leaving me flat.’

 

The sweat had burst out on his fevered brow

As the water encroached on the sand,

‘Did you know we’re beneath the high water mark,

In an hour or so, I’ll be drowned!’

‘The choice becomes yours, you must get a divorce

Or I’ll just walk away and be free.

There’s no going back, I’m determined in that,

I’ll be walking away with the key.’

 

The sea was beginning to lap at his feet,

And she to retreat as it came,

Then suddenly she was beginning to sink

While crying that he was to blame.

In seconds she’d sunk in the sand to her waist

In terror she cried, ‘Rescue me!’

But he was restrained by a half inch of chain,

‘For God’s sake, just throw me the key!’

 

‘How do I know that you won’t walk away

And just leave me to sink in the sand?’

‘I wouldn’t do that, just throw me the key

Or we’ll both become part of the land!’

She’d sunk to her shoulders at this point in time

And she struggled to pull out her arm,

Then raised it on high and she let the key fly

As they both held their breath, in alarm.

 

‘I’ve told her I want a divorce,’ he cried,

As the key fell just short of his reach,

‘And I lost the baby a week ago,’

She cried, to her neck in the beach.

They stared at each other as she sank from sight

Then the water rose over his head,

As a little gold key, was swept by the sea

To a hand that was already dead.

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[TL Boehm]

Such a sad tale - I have to concur with Sarah - the deeper meanings in this piece regarding our selfishness - the things we throw away - how we kill ourselves and the ones we love.
As a little gold key, was swept by the sea
To a hand that was already dead.
that's wrenching.

[Linda Marie Van Tassell]

Talk about cutting your on nose off to spite your face. What a tragedy lies and deceipt have woven for these two. Such a shame!

[KeelyJane]

Beautifully and well written story/poem. Very enjoyable to read given the sad ending. Your work is never any less. Thanks for sharing

[TPK Stories]

Another great story, David!

[spiritwind]

My favorite storyteller has not lost one particle of his skills in the time I have been gone... David, you are a joy, a mainstay, a wise man to all who read you and therefore are captivated by your stories and the heart and soul they spring from...

[shallimarRose]

I love the rhyme and flow of this.. The story line was both entertaining and suspenseful. Sad ending but i was totally engrossed throughout.. thank you David.. shallimarRose

[Foxemerald]

There are some very interesting dynamics in this poem, and, if I may, some twisting forces of a black and white nature. The couple seems initially unaware of the dangers that are surrounding them, but then their fate becomes inevitable. The happy romping and play drama however, puts me in mind of a beautiful day of sunlight, so I feel as though the fate was startling- yet still it was charming. This reads in a precise cadence, and keeps flowing until you realize that they are going to die. I truly loved the image you painted, but the lovely couple did meet an unfortunate end, didn't they?

[Girl Friday (Sarah W.)]

Wow...that was amazing! I was completely engrossed in the story from start to finish, and then I read it again looking for the deeper meanings and metaphors, which abound. Sometimes in our own selfishness, we essentially kill ourselves and those we love the most. Even in dying, she refuses to let up, for love was so strong and deep in her heart that she just had to have the answer that she wanted, and he wasn't going to relent in his way either. It was a stalemate of sorts...and then the tide took them both back into the earth.

I'm am as amazed by this one as i am impressed with it. The writing was fantastic; a lyrical flow that just sang from the page, and the story was the star. Well done.

[Onku Ghosh]

What a poem!!I held my breath as I sped through the poem, eager to know what happens in the end.Fantastic write as usual. I just love your style of writing...... too good

[Ravyne Hawke]

David, this is outstanding storytelling! I was on the edge of my seat the entire time, reading as fast as I could.. I had a feeling he would drown, but how clever of you to make a moral out if this.. you cannot escape karma. Wonderful work as always.