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

[bazzaj1000]

Great poem telling a story - thoroughly enjoyed it

[ANTO]

David in my clumsy - reading too much into things - way, I saw Johnathon as having multiple personality syndrome. OR...or.... Johnathon (as Nathan) killed the brother when they were young, assumed Joe's identity too out of guilt so he could forgive himself for the deed - as if Joe being intermittently alive would free him from some of the guilt.
Its a pickler this one but a blooming well enjoyable kind of pickling feeling.
Good One DLP. (Nearly sang that like 'Nice one Cyril...nice one son...nice one Cyril...Lets 'ave another one. lol)

[Devanshu Rajput]

WoW! I was thrilled at the end, as always. I liked the versification of the conversations between them.

You always leave me amazed by your poems. Your poems always enchant me, and this is no exception.

What, can this novice writer tell more about this, piece of yours. I enjoyed reading your work.

Thanks for sharing, this sort of poetry.

Devanshu