The Entertainer

By luigi_pagano

Sat, 24 Jan 2015
  • 1647 reads
6 comments
 

Do you remember Archie, the music-hall comic
who had them in stitches at the end of the pier?
His rise to fame had not been astronomic,
he didn’t make a fortune but had plenty of beer.

Some people described the show as demeaning
and said it amounted to unsophisticated smut.
His material was bawdy, full of double meaning,
it contained risqué jokes the censor would cut.

His popularity waned, his alcohol intake grew;
his decline was evident and did not bode well.
He'd failed to offer his public something new,
there was no more applause as the curtain fell.

© Luigi Pagano 2015

Certificate U
Poem
Are you being versed?
Other Fiction
Inspiration Point (work that responds to our weekly writing cue)

Comments

Submitted by Rhiannonw on

A bit of a moral there. You hid the IP words well! Rhiannon

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

Yes Rhiannon, the tale could be interpreted as moralising, i.e. decline and fall due to alcohol abuse etc., but it was just incidental to the character building. I agree that the words were well camouflaged and weren't too obvious. I greatly appreciate your viewpoint on the poem.

Luigi x

 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

I don't remember Archie, which I suppose is the point.

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

You are quite right, Philip. Archie is a figment of my imagination although I got the inspiration from the character Archie Rice in John Osborne's play 'The Entertainer'. But even if he had been a real person I suspect that you are too young to remember the music hall.

This week's IP offered a wide scope to make use of the prompt.

Thanks and best regards, Luigi.

 

Submitted by scratch on

I admire every piece that members produce in response to the inspiration points.  Even having been responsible for setting the prompt myself this is something that I could never do!

Well done Luigi.

 

Submitted by luigi_pagano on

You are being far too modest, Peter. Your prose and poetry are of such a high standard as to inspire us all. I am sure that you could attempt the IP challenge with your eyes closed, so to speak.

It is always nice to read an appreciative word. Many thanks.

Luigi :-)