"Death and the Grave Digger" by Carlos Schwabe‘Carmen Cygni, a Retourne’ by Mike Bryant The Society March 22, 2020 Beauty, Culture, Found Poem, Humor, Poetry 19 Comments Carmen Cygni, a Retourne She holds the sickle and the scythe, Dark clothed and hooded, glimpse of white. A dancer languorous but lithe, She stands between the day and night. Dark clothed and hooded glimpse of white, Peitho beguiles by danse charnelle. She calls defiant, but contrite As fears of Hades’ depths are quelled. A dancer languorous but lithe, In seven veils of totentanz, Regales the burdened and the blithe, Whatever works, ignores or fawns. She stands between the day and night. Persuasion is her favored game. None shall resist her grave delight. All rise or fall, in pearl or flame. Carmen Cygni: Swan Song Peitho: Goddess of Persuasion Danse Charnelle: Carnal Dance Totentanz: Dance of Death Amuse-bouche A memory from my father… I haven’t been able to find it in exactly this form on any search engines. ‘Twas in a restaurant they first met, Young Romeo and Juliet. ‘Twas there he first fell into debt, For Romi owed what Juli et. Mike Bryant is a poet and retired plumber living on the Gulf Coast of Texas. NOTE TO READERS: If you enjoyed this poem or other content, please consider making a donation to the Society of Classical Poets. The Society of Classical Poets does not endorse any views expressed in individual poems or commentary. 19 Responses Joe Tessitore March 22, 2020 I love them both, Mike! My wife was still asleep when I read them, and had to keep myself from laughing out loud at the last one! Reply Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 Thank you so very much, Joe. Dad was a font of interesting and funny poems and stories that live with me to this day. Reply Julian D. Woodruff March 22, 2020 Nice rhyme on Totentanz. Nice pun on grave. Delicious tongue-play on Juliet. Reply Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 Thank you for your interesting comment. Reply Joseph S. Salemi March 22, 2020 “Carmen Cygni” is one of the most beautiful, sophisticated, and intelligent set of quatrains that I have ever read. Absolute perfection in meter, grammar, syntax, and elegant word-choice. I have one question: In line 8, should the word “fear” be in the plural, to go along with the “are” at the end of the line? Or am I misreading something? Reply Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 First, thanks so much for the praise. Also, you are correct. Perhaps Evan will change “fear” to “fears” for me. Reply Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 Thanks, Evan… Julian D. Woodruff March 22, 2020 I always wondered about “Of his bones are coral made.” Did S’s ear just cringe at “… bones is …”; or was “coral” as played ok by him? Also, in the Mass, “all glory and honor is yours …” (an accurate translation of the Latin). Reply Joseph S. Salemi March 22, 2020 Older English and Latin don’t always pay strict attention to the singularity or plurality of verbs, if the subject governing the verb can in some way be construed as a collective plural. Standard Modern English, however, is stricter on the subject. James Tweedie March 22, 2020 To Joseph S’s string of adjectives, I would add, “elegant.” Beautifully crafted. Reply Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 Thank you, sir. Reply Susan Jarvis Bryant March 22, 2020 “Carmen Cygni” is smooth, seductive, cerebral, and superlative – an absolute treat. “Amuse-bouche” is palatable, punny, and downright funny! You’ve made my Sunday, Mr. Bryant. ❤️ Reply Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 And You are amazing as hell. I love the punny/funny rhyme. You just can’t help Yourself, can You? Besides, how could I do anything at all without You? Reply Sally Cook March 22, 2020 You are both excellent poets, and just the way you compliment each other complements the quality of your respective works. Self-identifying male humans are the best – Reply Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 Thanks so much for your complementary compliment, Ms. Sally! I love your sunny outlook on life. Reply sally cook March 22, 2020 Oh, Mike if you only knew ! Perhaps the fact that my father was a great eccentric and punster has balanced me. He loved to scan the papers for funny ads, his all-time favorite being FOR SALE, A PIANO v.by a lady WITH MAHOGANY LEGS. With what joy this perpetual nine year old planted his vegetable garden each year, just waiting for someone to ask what he had planted. His invariable answer –LETTUCE, TURNIP and PEE ! He enjoyed this joke just as much as if he had not been hearing. it for decades. Your pun today reminded me of him; not a bad thing. Mike Bryant March 23, 2020 Sounds like our Dads were much alike 🙂 David Watt March 23, 2020 Mike, I would add classy to the list of adjectives describing your first poem. The wordplay concluding your second poem is delightful. Reply Mike Bryant March 23, 2020 Thanks, David. Reply Leave a Reply Cancel ReplyYour email address will not be published.CommentName* Email* Website Δ This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Joe Tessitore March 22, 2020 I love them both, Mike! My wife was still asleep when I read them, and had to keep myself from laughing out loud at the last one! Reply
Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 Thank you so very much, Joe. Dad was a font of interesting and funny poems and stories that live with me to this day. Reply
Julian D. Woodruff March 22, 2020 Nice rhyme on Totentanz. Nice pun on grave. Delicious tongue-play on Juliet. Reply
Joseph S. Salemi March 22, 2020 “Carmen Cygni” is one of the most beautiful, sophisticated, and intelligent set of quatrains that I have ever read. Absolute perfection in meter, grammar, syntax, and elegant word-choice. I have one question: In line 8, should the word “fear” be in the plural, to go along with the “are” at the end of the line? Or am I misreading something? Reply
Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 First, thanks so much for the praise. Also, you are correct. Perhaps Evan will change “fear” to “fears” for me. Reply
Julian D. Woodruff March 22, 2020 I always wondered about “Of his bones are coral made.” Did S’s ear just cringe at “… bones is …”; or was “coral” as played ok by him? Also, in the Mass, “all glory and honor is yours …” (an accurate translation of the Latin). Reply
Joseph S. Salemi March 22, 2020 Older English and Latin don’t always pay strict attention to the singularity or plurality of verbs, if the subject governing the verb can in some way be construed as a collective plural. Standard Modern English, however, is stricter on the subject.
James Tweedie March 22, 2020 To Joseph S’s string of adjectives, I would add, “elegant.” Beautifully crafted. Reply
Susan Jarvis Bryant March 22, 2020 “Carmen Cygni” is smooth, seductive, cerebral, and superlative – an absolute treat. “Amuse-bouche” is palatable, punny, and downright funny! You’ve made my Sunday, Mr. Bryant. ❤️ Reply
Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 And You are amazing as hell. I love the punny/funny rhyme. You just can’t help Yourself, can You? Besides, how could I do anything at all without You? Reply
Sally Cook March 22, 2020 You are both excellent poets, and just the way you compliment each other complements the quality of your respective works. Self-identifying male humans are the best – Reply
Mike Bryant March 22, 2020 Thanks so much for your complementary compliment, Ms. Sally! I love your sunny outlook on life. Reply
sally cook March 22, 2020 Oh, Mike if you only knew ! Perhaps the fact that my father was a great eccentric and punster has balanced me. He loved to scan the papers for funny ads, his all-time favorite being FOR SALE, A PIANO v.by a lady WITH MAHOGANY LEGS. With what joy this perpetual nine year old planted his vegetable garden each year, just waiting for someone to ask what he had planted. His invariable answer –LETTUCE, TURNIP and PEE ! He enjoyed this joke just as much as if he had not been hearing. it for decades. Your pun today reminded me of him; not a bad thing.
David Watt March 23, 2020 Mike, I would add classy to the list of adjectives describing your first poem. The wordplay concluding your second poem is delightful. Reply
