Monday, October 29, 2012

A Current Robinson Crusoe


 “The night was thick and hazy
when the Pickadilly Daisy
Carried down the crew and captain into the sea;
And I think the water drowned ‘em,
As I never ever found ‘em
And I know they didn’t come ashore with me.”

Have you ever felt shipwrecked?
Here on this strange planet,
looking around for others like you?

“Twas very sad and lonely
when I found myself the only
population on that cultivated shore.”

Initially, in a tiny body
We’re sure somehow
our parents really are
shipmates from the “daisy”
and will understand us
and we them.

“But I’ve made a little tavern
in a rocky little cavern
and I sit and watch for people by the door.”

And so we spend our lives looking
for those “original shipmates,
who came from
where we came from.

“I spent no time in looking
for a girl to do my cooking
as I’m quite a clever hand at making stews”

We learn to made do,
to settle for the ingredients
we have….
Yet always watching
at the door for the high joy
of running into someone
from our clan,
our original ship.

Think of all the stories,
books and movies about this:
Gilligan’s Island, Swiss Family Robinson,
Robinson Crusoe, ET, Castaway.
How many more can you think of?

I know that I have
been sitting and watching
for people at the door
for much of my life.

Lizette Estelle Stiehr
October 27, 2012

The quotes are from  a portion
Of Charles E. Carryl’s poem,
Robinson Crusoe’s Story 

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