The Proposal

The Proposal

A Poem by David Lewis Paget

I paced the floor by the tavern door

In the hopes she’d come my way,

She didn’t know that I’d still be there

For I hadn’t said I’d stay,

We’d parted there on a bitter note

On a dark and moonless night,

I’d told her I wouldn’t marry her,

But now, I thought, I might.

 

I’d filled my head with the pros and cons

And the pros had come up short,

I’d have to steady and settle down

And that was my major thought.

I’d been so free that it seemed to me

I’d be hoist on a single hook,

Why would I trade a library

For the sake of a single book?

 

But then I began to doubt myself

As her scent came wafting through,

That scent of fire with the name ‘Desire’

That she’d said, ‘I wore for you!’

I’d pressed my lips to her silken throat

And I’d felt my power surge,

As she lay back and surrendered to

Some overwhelming urge.

 

Where would I find her likes again,

I paced, and bit at my lip,

We’d courted then since I don’t know when,

She’d said, ‘we’re joined at the hip.’

But then I’d panicked and almost ran

I could see my freedoms gone,

‘If you don’t ask me, there’s them that will!’

Like a fool I said, ‘So long!’

 

I knew that she’d seen Montgomery,

He’d eyed her off at the ball,

And set up a wager, he to me,

He’d be first to see her fall.

She’d left that night in a coach and four

With him riding close behind,

While I’d returned to the tavern then

And drank til my eyes were blind.

 

I heard he was going to propose that night

And the thought had made me sick,

I’d have to make a decision now

And I’d have to make it quick.

I saddled Sally, the old grey mare

And I whipped her out the yard,

For Cauter Hall was at Risdon Weir

And I’d have to ride it hard.

 

We caught the coach at the meadow rise

And we passed it on the fly,

They must have seen a demon rider

And horse against the sky,

My cloak flew out as the wind blew up

On the road at Walker’s Flat,

And somewhere there in the cold night air

I lost my only hat.

 

We skirted the ground at Risdon Weir

And we splashed on through the Ford,

The lights of the mansion grew more clear

As we galloped to Cauter Hall,

Her hooves a-clatter on cobblestones

I leapt from the horse’s back,

And beat on the ancient cedar door

In a frontal, forced attack.

 

Montgomery stood in the passage there

And he turned to her to shout,

I raced on in with a sense of sin,

With a punch, I laid him out.

Catherine came from an ante-room

And she said, ‘How dare you do…’

But I went down on my knees to her,

‘I’m here for marrying you!’

 

She seemed surprised, then her laughing eyes

She tried to hide with a fan,

‘I knew that you’d come around one day

If you saw me play with a man.

I’ll take you dear, but I’ll make it clear

That my guest was never the one,

We never marry our cousins here…’

Then I knew that I’d been done!

 

David Lewis Paget

© 2015 David Lewis Paget


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Featured Review

Wow that is a very beautiful poem. Reminds me a lot of a Cinderella theme. And of course, competition. I liked it a lot. And it was nice to see the main character in the poem get his victory, although, I'm sure it would be embarrassing to discover Montgomery was her cousin all this time. Very nicely done.

Stacey

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.




Reviews

It only goes to show, speak your mind before you lose...well written

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Ha! A man-trap! LOL! :D

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

That got really made me laugh into pieces. Yes in a bout of jealousy men are capable of climbing the highest peak of stupidity. I enjoyed it a lot.

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Great write David. It seems you can write long verse with the best of them. Loved the story and look forward to reading more of your work. All the best. CD

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

I like this poem! I can imagine the scene and it's something like a fairy tale! :D

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Wonderful poem, thank you for sharing

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Absolutely loved the story here, a woman who knows how to bring her man to heal, and quite nicely, too. Jealousy is an old game as old as the woman herself...It came with the second man. a great rhythm flowing through this that made is seem more like a bedtime story of old...a cautionary tale perhaps? Your poem/story is one of the great things I love about poetry/ great imagery, tone and language in a concise write. The same thing as prose would take a couple pages.

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Wow that is a very beautiful poem. Reminds me a lot of a Cinderella theme. And of course, competition. I liked it a lot. And it was nice to see the main character in the poem get his victory, although, I'm sure it would be embarrassing to discover Montgomery was her cousin all this time. Very nicely done.

Stacey

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.

Loved it. The whole thing was good. The ending was awesome.

Posted 8 Years Ago


1 of 1 people found this review constructive.


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21 Reviews
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Added on May 14, 2015
Last Updated on May 14, 2015
Tags: tavern, Desire, freedoms, ball

Author

David Lewis Paget
David Lewis Paget

Moonta, South Australia, Australia



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