The Tailor and the Angel Of Death

By luigi_pagano

Sun, 29 Oct 2017
  • 1958 reads
8 comments
 
The men in the tavern
shook their heads
and ordered more ales
to drown their sorrow.
For in their hearts they knew
that for the village tailor
there would be no tomorrow.
 
He had had quite a few
when he bade them goodnight
and staggering through the door
went out to pick a fight
with the Recording Angel.
The Angelystor, unseen
by people of the parish,
was known to announce the names,
each year, on Halloween,
of those who were to perish.
 
But Robert, the dressmaker,
did not believe the tale
and stood in the graveyard
shouting in the howling gale:
‘Reveal yourself, blackguard!’
Then, all of a sudden,
in the surrounding gloom,
heard a stentorian voice:
‘Croeso, Siôn ap Robert;
prepare to meet thy doom.’
 
His legs, already unsteady,
wobbled as he cried:
‘Wait, I’m not yet ready.’
He tried to bribe the spirit
which was in hot pursuit:
‘I will make you a new suit
if my life be spared.’
But he pleaded in vain
and it was far too late
for him to strike a bargain.
 
It was the day of reckoning,
the time for him to atone.
He realised the judgement
was final and immutable,
with no room for debate.
So bowing to the inevitable
he had to accept his fate.
 
© Luigi Pagano
Certificate U
Poem
Cherry ripe
Horror
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Great story behind this poem Luigi. 

Perfect for the IP.

Jenny. xx

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

This is one of two poems I contributed to the project Heritage Alive (in 2006) aimed at bringing new life to old myths and legends of Flintshire.

Thanks for your favourable comment, Jenny.Luigi xx

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

An interesting telling of the myth, and interesting to see a bit of Welsh in print! I would tend to write Siôn if writing in Welsh. It's one of the forms of 'John'. Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Thanks for the correction, Rhiannon, I thought that Shôn was the equivalent of John. Seeing that it was an anthology about Welsh legends, it is odd that the editors didn't pick it up at the time. If I ever am tempted to use Welsh words again I must consult you first.
I shall amend the word right away.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, sorry, I didn't mean it was necessarily wrong. You can leave it, I just thought you might be interested to know that if I was actually writing in Welsh I would write it that way, but  how you spelt it is fine for writing in English, the anglicised form! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Oh, I see. Well, never mind; I've changed it now.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

Oh, and I neglected to say that 'si' does sound 'sh' in Welsh, so we would say the name the same!! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

A question of phonetics then. OK, thanks.

L. x