Jonathon Brown

‘I’m looking for Nathan Cory,

I’m looking for Jonathon Brown,’

That was the woman’s story,

In a pub, this side of town.

I’d only gone for a quiet pint

And hoped to be on my own,

Til this angry face burst into the place

And I put my beer mug down.

 

‘Would I be my brother’s keeper,

To follow him near and far?

He may appear, but he’s never here,

You can try the public bar.

Jonathon flits from place to place,

You never can tie him down,

I should know, I’m his brother Joe,

At your service, Joseph Brown.’

 

She ordered a double Vodka,

With a twist of lemon, squeezed,

Then sat on the stool beside me,

Without a ‘you mind?’ or ‘please’.

‘And what of this Nathan Cory,’

She said, ‘Is that just a friend?’

And I thought back to the nursery,

With that dark wall at the end.

 

‘Oh Nathan, yes, well he comes and goes,

He isn’t a friend to me,

But Jonathon always speaks of him,

Has known him since he was three.

He’s not a guy you should tangle with,

He’s always wanting to fight,

Jonathon used to go with him

When he came to him at night.’

 

‘You say you’ve never seen Nathan, then,

Not once, in all of your days?’

‘I try to avoid the ones that cause

Me strife, in so many ways.

My brother and I, we live apart,

I haven’t seen him for years,

That Nathan came in between us two,

A bit like the family curse!’

 

Her smile was gentle, her eyes were brown

Her hair fell over her face,

She didn’t seem quite so angry now

But I saw she carried Mace.

The men in white came up to the bar

As I dashed my beer down,

They said, ‘Hello! Whoever you are,’

And I said, ‘I’m Jonathon Brown.’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Barbz]

You really had me going on this one......my mind went into so many directions. I find it thrilling when your tales are laced with mystery. When the *Twist* is revealed.....I say to myself "I knew it"....But did I?? And I read it again and again.........as I would any classic...Barbz

[TPK Stories]

A wonderful ending...full of twists...great poem/prose David...

[MomzillaNC]

Well! That's quite a confusing character there! Does he have multiple personality disorder? I rather enjoyed this one. I thought it was going to go on further… hope there'll be a sequel…

[R Smith]

more twists and turns than a maze David, I should know better than to try an outguess you, excellent story and poetry as always :)

[anne]

wow.....:)).....................

[alf]

Hi David. How aptly you have described the divisions of a tormented mind multiple personalities are more common than may realize, and you have told this tale without any need for compassion to play a part. great read, alf

[AnastasiaTalia]

Very interesting. I love the twist.

[Valentine]

So, he had escaped from the looney bin and one of the nurses set out to trap him. A very interesting and very sneaky tale. Kudos. Valentine

[Marie]

Like ANTO, I see the multiple personality syndrome at work in this. Joe Brown could be his brother Johathon, as well as Nathan Cory. At first I thought the men in white came for the woman, but I thinking thay came for the man...whoever he was...

[Lyndy]

Oh wow, this poem is amazingly expressed and well written! :D