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Monday, May 31, 2010

O.T.T…

FOR POW PROMPT 5

' The Dresden clock continued ticking on the mantelpiece
And the footman sat upon the dining-table
Holding the second housemaid on his knees--
Who had always been so careful while her mistress lived '

From ' Aunt Helen' by T.S. Eliot
Looking forward to some splattered diverse brilliance next Wednesday!


OVERSTATING THE TERROIR

Uncork me a fine wine of elegant nose
Releasing English liquorice and roast herbes de Provence
Thick, harsh, and powerful, Chậteauneuf du Pape
Vibrantly coloured, rich mahogany red
Virile and masculine, with muscular tannins
Ground pepper, lavender, loamy soil undertones
Exotic essence, suggesting cloves awash with fruits
Cassis… sweet framboise… smoky fried cherry notes
To complement a bouquet of spice and old leather
Themes that transport me to grandfather’s drawing room
Cuban cigar smoke clouding the atmosphere
The Dresden clock… ticking on the mantelpiece
Inside that big old ancestral mansion house
…And the footman, sat upon the dining table
Glaring acetone; volatile acidity
Deep and dense, with a complexity of balance
Holding the second housemaid on his knees
An impressive structure, not lacking in finesse
A beautiful, perfectly rounded body
Exhibiting her own fruitiness and fatness
Mischievous, tantalising characteristics
That dance on the palate. A command performance
Leading to a long silky finish from the girl
Who had always been so careful while her mistress lived
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23 comments:

  1. InayJune 1, 2010 at 7:22 AM

    well described..

    have a nice day

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  2. Julia Phillips SmithJune 1, 2010 at 8:16 AM

    Oh my God, Stan!

    'Leading to a long silky finish from the girl
    Who had always been so careful while her mistress lived'

    What a finish, indeed - this poem transported me into a reverie from which I never want to awaken.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Stan SkiJune 1, 2010 at 10:33 AM

    Thanks to:
    Inay; All from just a taste...
    Julia; It'll come at a hefty price.

    ReplyDelete
  4. angieJune 2, 2010 at 10:01 AM

    wonderful storytelling here -- you've created quite a lush scene. and I love how you've woven the eliot lines in. nice!

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  5. Stan SkiJune 2, 2010 at 10:08 AM

    Thanks Angie; I used to think wine tater speak was pretentious nonsense - until I tasted it myself...

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  6. vivienne blakeJune 2, 2010 at 3:08 PM

    Probably not what you intended, but I laughed when I read from the footman on the table onwards. The poem left me feeling good, despite the dark undertones. I know what you mean about winespeak - very prevalent hereabouts.
    ViV

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  7. Stan SkiJune 2, 2010 at 3:16 PM

    Thanks ViV; Laughing is OK - all the puns were intended, and the wine references have enough in their interpretations to suggest any manner of evil.

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  8. Andy SewinaJune 2, 2010 at 4:27 PM

    Cool, Stan, nicely interweaved - love the bit about the voluptious housemaid!

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  9. Stan SkiJune 2, 2010 at 4:33 PM

    Thanks Andy; With her mistress gone, she's giving it large.

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  10. rallentandaJune 2, 2010 at 4:41 PM

    Yep I like the fruity fatness of the housemaid giving a command performance as well. A healthy well built bonny lass.
    Your wine descriptions are luscious.

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  11. flaubertJune 2, 2010 at 8:52 PM

    Stan your descriptions here are lovely and the way you wove Eliot's lines are masterful.
    Pamela

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  12. UnknownJune 2, 2010 at 9:01 PM

    Great aspect you've chosen, Stan and cleverly woven around the original lines. Very tasty indeed.

    ReplyDelete
  13. AnonymousJune 3, 2010 at 1:31 AM

    Love this, Stan! And this coming from someone who is also a wine blogger! Fine wines do transport us --and this one does so eloquently! Can I share it with my readers there and link back to you?

    ReplyDelete
  14. AnonymousJune 3, 2010 at 1:32 AM

    oh and here's the link to my wine blog, http://winepredator.wordpress.com in case you want to check it out first before giving the ok

    ReplyDelete
  15. Stan SkiJune 3, 2010 at 6:54 AM

    Thanks to:
    Rallentanda; Fine wines have such evocative qualities.
    Pamela; I hope I didn't stitch him up... :)
    Derrick; The dreden clock made me think antique... vintage - and this is the redult.
    Artpredator; I hope I did the wine justice, and feel free to share it. I will check out your wine blog.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Wayne PitchkoJune 3, 2010 at 7:17 AM

    nicely told and written Stan....thanks for this

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  17. Stan SkiJune 3, 2010 at 7:50 AM

    Thanks Wayne; In vino veritas...?

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  18. Francis ScudellariJune 3, 2010 at 9:04 AM

    I'm not a wine expert, but this poem makes me want to become one. I like how you smoothly transitioned from the bouquet to the action in the mansion house.

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  19. Linda GoinJune 3, 2010 at 9:23 AM

    You constantly surprise me, and that's why I love, love your poetry. The wine is overdone, superbly so, and so is the maid. How clever to twine Eliot's lines in with your own. Bravo!

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  20. J. D. MackenzieJune 3, 2010 at 9:35 AM

    Stan, I would've guessed brandies with these folks since Brittain can't grow a good wine grape but that's where mercantilism comes in. Clever to contrast good wine with the cute housemaid.

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  21. Stan SkiJune 3, 2010 at 9:59 AM

    Thanks to:
    Francis; It was a particularly good vintage.
    Linda; A toast to excess, but to be taken in moderation.
    JDM; Brandy, Port, or Fine Wine - like the maid, they all have their merits, and all improve with age.

    ReplyDelete
  22. AnonymousJune 4, 2010 at 8:34 PM

    I like the way you engage the senses, Stan. And you have a cracking last line.


    http://thelaughinghousewife.wordpress.com

    ReplyDelete
  23. Stan SkiJune 5, 2010 at 6:26 AM

    Thanks TLH; Last line credit to T.S Eliot.

    ReplyDelete

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