Sitting Through

My great aunt sang
with D'oyly Carte Opera,
so, every spring when they toured
I sat through Iolanthe,
Pirates of Penzance,
Ruddigore, Box and Cox.
I sat on Richard D'oyly Carte's knee
and probably dribbled
I was too young to know
aged four, dressed in a velvet dress
with dreaded lace tatted
onto collar and sleeves,
we sat in a private box
I ate jellied sweets
and fell asleep with my head
in my fathers lap,
roused by an encore
and after show drinks,
sometimes it is bred
into you
I always lapped
up the audience
until I became too tired;
Aunt Isabelle
you have a lot to
answer for



Poetry by Elle The PoetBay support member heart!
Read 622 times
Written on 2013-09-06 at 20:59

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StillHoppin The PoetBay support member heart!
I enjoyed this heartily! Your description is, as always, impeccable, and you expressed yourself beautifully here. The last 3 lines of this left me smiling. :)
2013-09-09


Lawrence Beck The PoetBay support member heart!
A fine performance. I think that Aunt Isabelle would be proud.
2013-09-08


josephus The PoetBay support member heart!
What a lovely rememberance. Mr father played classical piano. I can recall very fondly falling asleep on the living room couch while listening to Ravel and Rachmaninoff. I never became the pianist my father was but he did instill a love of music and his instrument in me. As a younger man I sang the captian's part in Pinafore. It was a joy. Having played in many misicals and plays, I credit my father with instilling in me the love of performance. Elle, thanks so much for rekindling these memories with your fine poem.

Joe
2013-09-07



Such a vivid, charming remembrance. It mirrors my own upbringing in exactly zero ways, which makes this a fascinating poem for me.
2013-09-07



Oh this is adorable ... I love it:)
2013-09-06