Faith Eliza Cord
Four Thousand Club
Loosely based on the tone and rhythm and subjects of Poe poetry.
Abigail
Gather close all, and hear my tale
Of a beautiful maiden by the name of Abigail.
With my words to you great wonders I’ll detail
For through pain our passion, our love, did prevail.
Eyes of deep blue set in a visage rather pale
A delicate soul in a body lithe and frail.
A look upon her beauty, and one’s breath my inhale
And yet she chose me, a simple, foolish male.
Our love was such that could not be judged by any scale
My devotion and my joy in her could never become tainted or stale.
The day we spoke our heartfelt vows and I first looked beneath her veil
I swore I would follow her all my life down any chosen trail.
But then there came a dreadful time when our blissful peace did fail
For a terrible sickness arose on day to inflict my Abigail.
Oh how she suffered, oh how she wept, how terribly she did ail
And though her bed was soft and warm, how horribly her limbs did flail.
With desperate acts I tried to cause her anguish to curtail
But every action I did attempt all were to no avail.
Each day before my helpless eyes I watched her quake and quail
And I knew I could not help her, I could not save my Abigail.
On that tragic day that her soul to the heavens did hail
I fell upon my knees and let out a despairing wail.
Against God and man alike I did profusely rail
For it was my beloved’s life that He and I did fail.
Any demon I’d have fought, any monster I’d assail
Any number of decades I’d have have spent in jail
Steep mountains I’d climb, stormy seas I’d sail
To get to my beloved, my Abigail.
Across any far off hill and any distant dale
Any sweet low valley or any placid vale
Any several centuries in the olden days of yale
I would gladly travel just to have back my Abigail.
But she is once more mine! Yes, we do prevail!
She IS still here, she IS still mine, my darling Abigail!
For though from this world her body did derail
Her spirit, her presence, alas! It shall never fail!
For I see her at night, a figure faint and pale
Before my bedside her loving smile does regale
And if her hand cannot quite caress this lonely male
I am nevertheless ecstastic, for touch is a mere detail.
For in the darkest nights she is with me, in her veil
And oh my heart it sings, in no more misery shall I ail
And each time she comes, she lays before me a shadowy trail
Entreating me to follow- for this world to curtail.
Tonight is the night, the end of my tale
The night I choose to walk upon my beloved’s trail
I will no longer breathe in, nor will I exhale
And forever with my bride, my lover, I will hail.
Do not weep for me, do not beat your breast and wail
Against God and death alike, you shall not rail
For I am not lost- that, my death does not entail
I simply wish to be once more with my beloved, my Abigail.
Abigail
Gather close all, and hear my tale
Of a beautiful maiden by the name of Abigail.
With my words to you great wonders I’ll detail
For through pain our passion, our love, did prevail.
Eyes of deep blue set in a visage rather pale
A delicate soul in a body lithe and frail.
A look upon her beauty, and one’s breath my inhale
And yet she chose me, a simple, foolish male.
Our love was such that could not be judged by any scale
My devotion and my joy in her could never become tainted or stale.
The day we spoke our heartfelt vows and I first looked beneath her veil
I swore I would follow her all my life down any chosen trail.
But then there came a dreadful time when our blissful peace did fail
For a terrible sickness arose on day to inflict my Abigail.
Oh how she suffered, oh how she wept, how terribly she did ail
And though her bed was soft and warm, how horribly her limbs did flail.
With desperate acts I tried to cause her anguish to curtail
But every action I did attempt all were to no avail.
Each day before my helpless eyes I watched her quake and quail
And I knew I could not help her, I could not save my Abigail.
On that tragic day that her soul to the heavens did hail
I fell upon my knees and let out a despairing wail.
Against God and man alike I did profusely rail
For it was my beloved’s life that He and I did fail.
Any demon I’d have fought, any monster I’d assail
Any number of decades I’d have have spent in jail
Steep mountains I’d climb, stormy seas I’d sail
To get to my beloved, my Abigail.
Across any far off hill and any distant dale
Any sweet low valley or any placid vale
Any several centuries in the olden days of yale
I would gladly travel just to have back my Abigail.
But she is once more mine! Yes, we do prevail!
She IS still here, she IS still mine, my darling Abigail!
For though from this world her body did derail
Her spirit, her presence, alas! It shall never fail!
For I see her at night, a figure faint and pale
Before my bedside her loving smile does regale
And if her hand cannot quite caress this lonely male
I am nevertheless ecstastic, for touch is a mere detail.
For in the darkest nights she is with me, in her veil
And oh my heart it sings, in no more misery shall I ail
And each time she comes, she lays before me a shadowy trail
Entreating me to follow- for this world to curtail.
Tonight is the night, the end of my tale
The night I choose to walk upon my beloved’s trail
I will no longer breathe in, nor will I exhale
And forever with my bride, my lover, I will hail.
Do not weep for me, do not beat your breast and wail
Against God and death alike, you shall not rail
For I am not lost- that, my death does not entail
I simply wish to be once more with my beloved, my Abigail.
