Defiant Voice

Inspired by a scene from 'Dead Poet's Society' staring Robin Williams as Mr Keating.

Captain, oh my captain!

For you distain is squeezed

from a sea sponge

in briny tears

that fall upon oak floors.

 

I will make my stand

against this poisoned

brainwashing,

as my respect,

nay my love

for you, thrusts itself

from deep in my belly

and roars like a mad bull

at the moon.

 

For you took my heart

out of the book box

and taught it to breathe,

gave life to it,

helped me pump

the oxygen of creativity

into the very lungs

of the art of poetry.

 

And I took up the quill,

held it like a dagger

until it dripped warm

blood upon those empty

parchment pages

as I bled out words

that had echoed and echoed

inside my head,

crying for release.

 

29/05/19

Author's Note

Reviews

[jacob erin-cilberto]

great movie...really good poem about how the muse steers our ship...third line third stanza did you mean 'breathe"---like ocean waves comes the inspiration...

j.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Yes a memorable film/movie. Yes I did mean breathe and thought I had corrected iot on my word version! Sloppy edit! Thanks for spotting it.

[Eilis]

Some excellent verse. Such a timeless movie too. I love the interplay between the character and the solid world.

Like, a musing on what makes us write to begin with. Often I think it’s something (someone) remote and who acts on our imagination in a way that shakes it awake.

The poem feels like the barbaric yawp needed to jar the sleeping creative spirit awake.

Such energy. And excellent images. Love that mad bull roaring at the moon.

Great work, John.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Eilis, this simply came from watching the clip fro the film.

[Shazbatt969]

a beautiful piece filled with the energy of art and poetry and the urge and the need to write and some fine lines, the last stanza was a classic

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Sir you are indeed a scholar and an acrobat and I bow in humble thanks!

[Chris Shaw]

Ah John, so you took a look. Dead Poets Society was a great film and Robin Williams played a memorable part. Your poem is full of passion, an inspirational read. I am in the mind to watch the film again myself after this fine free verse read.

Chris

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you Chris. That scene was so very powerful and so very Robin Williams!

[Chris Shaw]

Don't you just miss that guy. What a treasure he was.

[Einstein Noodle]

incredible passion sir! deeply emotive read for me! inspiration from someone like that does not come around often .. if at all ... i rejoice with your speaker in the release of his expression .. well done! very moving. :)
E.

[John Alexander McFadyen]

Thank you dear Sir 'E'. I was indeed moved watching the scene and I might well watch the film again sometime soon.

[Einstein Noodle]

its a great one ... heart rending and inspiration at the same time ... how we miss Mr. Robin eh!? :(