When Winnie met Jack

/ Daniel Swearingen

It is a mistake to look too far ahead. Only one link in the chain of destiny can be handled at a time. – Winston Churchill

I vow to thee, so is this day my fingers touch, dark clouds arrayed. The child’s red nose down near the Thames, I can hear it sniffle within my brain. The crowds all about in mourning love, they sway and they move, with the cantor’s thrust. Hymn oh hymn, delay, delay, I cannot leave this earth this way. The dark dress of the throngs I view. So many, so many, they pass my view. The spirit it moves in light so faire, beyond all England, without my care. So close these steeples, that I can touch, their steel damp smoothness, so cold it cuts. A kingdom comes, it falls so fast, now what is value, when breath is past. Intern it all, embalmed old crust, a shell for the living, in G_D they trust. But what of sweet Clementine standing there, in dark black linen, her eyes without care. Nothing matters, to be so plain, in death no vanity, no new worlds to claim. Without no battles, or worlds to claim, what is this death, what’s left to obtain.

The bells toll for something they cannot reach. Big Ben rings hallows from out of the streets, for just beyond that forthright, shadowed stack. Something in this shaded place is staring back, swaying in the tones that strike this day, comes a tall hat, swinging arms displayed. Oh, soul be ready stand firm, intact, be hard and willing to fight this back. This cold gray dawn beyond the grave sends errant adventure, that carries unto me his blade. The background roars with cannon fire, count ninety, nigh each year so far, but that is earth now pale below, up here in rapture comes such a ghoul. Be still my soul, oh G_D be still my soul.

Hark now the day mere men can’t touch, the knight of England, has hailed his last, while Hurrsars carry metals below, do bend the heavens for battle to show.

Does stride the man of Mahdist fame, who faced the Dervish, and wrote their fame, but something darker in death now be lames, calls for his rod now, his favorite cane. Give death its purpose beyond the grave, to face the ripper in heavens game. The shadow cometh, so loosed and bare, his white teeth flashing, his scalpel bare.

I vow to thee, I hear it play, my casket sails upon the Thames, below a funeral, above a war. Hear hark oh angels, my fate restored, to hand the evil, that blocks my way onward to heaven, his final fame. Let now his death be lost in flames.

I vow to thee, so is this day my fingers touch, dark clouds arrayed.

I wanted to write an October piece in the vein of “Abraham Lincoln, Vampire Hunter”. It seems to me the purpose after death should not be to have no purpose, rather, a continuation of our destiny, do to what we do best. I am sure Winston Churchill, went on to destiny with further battles to overcome than those that were in his mind. It was surely his destiny to hold more ground. – 10.13.2017 – דָּנִיֵּאל

73 thoughts on “When Winnie met Jack”

  3. So many wonderful chilling lines for Friday the 13th, in this masterfully written ode Daniel. Most of what you have here is Shakespearean, “Hark now the day mere men can’t touch, the knight of England, has hailed his last, while Hurrsars carry metals below, do bend the heavens for battle to show.” I’m along for this wonderful October ride Daniel!

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  8. From the beginning of this you had me hooked. I only didn’t want it to end, and I now wonder how it ends. My favorite words, “Nothing matters, to be so plain, in death no vanity, no new worlds to claim. Without no battles, or worlds to claim, what is this death, what’s left to obtain.” The music and requiem to Churchill fit so well!

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  9. I can’t add much more to what has already been said Daniel. Your artistry and creativity continue to amaze me. This was one of your best. I know I say that almost with each piece. 😉 ❤ Ruby

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  11. You handled this well Daniel, a tricky subject matter that we Brits think about with old Winnie and his Father! I haven’t seen much on this lately but your piece resonates and as always is perfection!

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  15. Very different Daniel, I read and re-read a couple of times. Your words are classic, with layers of meaning. The links were great as was the music and video. It was like being there.

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  18. I listened to the music thoroughly as I read and then I saw them too, father and son it were, suspended in time and death, above the chasm of earth. Well I did follow through on the links too. 😉 This was so good Daniel! ❤ Heather

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  19. I think you know I can’t let this one pass without commenting. You have surpassed yourself here, going as the Starship enterprise where no person has ventured before, dare say an adventurous madman. 🙂 It was really good my friend, please more! 🙂

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  22. I often think you must write what you feel, and then I think you write what you see, and then I know you feel what you see. Rather proud of myself brother I figured it out, and by the way this was marvelous. 😉

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  23. I was just a young boy Daniel, but I remember the talk of the funeral at my family’s dinner table. My old man was a big Churchill fan, therefore I was a Churchill fan. 🙂 Once again you have weaved an incredible tale, and I marvel at your craftsmanship.

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    • Hi Bill, thank you as always for a marvelous comment. I remember visiting a church in Fulton Missouri, as a child that had been moved stone by stone from England. It was on the site where Churchill gave his famous Iron Curtain speech. History is wonderful. Wishing you a great week my friend.

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  24. First off, the Sir Winston Churchill video was intensely moving, chilling actually. This is a wonderful tribute to someone I only know from history. I’ve always loved history, it makes the present more understandable, often, like it or not!
    So you have made a a fab prose, and a great article, chilling in a different way, for this month.
    Excellent!! A+
    I want you to know that I check out all the links you include, just in case I don’t understand clearly, although I usually do. I don’y have time to read the download right now, but I will in a more leisurely moment.
    Sometimes WP is a bit odd. I went into my “Followed sites” to see what was up with the email notifications. You weren’t even there, yet the icon in the lower right, says I am following. So, I signed up again.Maybe it will work, now!

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    • Hi Resa, I am not sure what is going on with WP either, I don’t receive notifications on your post a good deal of the time, so I have done as you did and re enlisted so as to speak. I am not to concerned however because I know we will always find each other, it was destiny my friend. Thank you as always for your kind comments on my ramblings! 🙂

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