The Old Sergeant / Forceythe Willson

[Will Dockery]

Hieronymous707 wrote:
>
> You should check out a poem called
> The Old Sergeant by Forceythe Willson.
> I think you'll like it.

I haven't made it very far in the poem

http://www.bartleby.com/248/710.html

Forceythe "Don't call me Byron" Willson's short life was an interesting one:

http://pennyspoetry.wikia.com/wiki/Forceythe_Willson

"...He believed that the living could communicate with the dead, and that he was a medium through which this could be accomplished. He claimed to have had a conversation with his late father some years after his death. He also maintained that he was clairvoyant, and was able to divine the contents of unopened letters, as well as some information about their authors, by placing the envelope to his forehead. In 1863, Willson married Elisabeth Conwell Smith, a poet from New Albany, Indiana. She died the following year, after the loss of their baby. Both Elisabeth, and the child are buried in Laurel, Indiana. From that time until his own death, many who were with him observed him having conversations with the spirit of his dead wife. Shortly following her death, he told a friend 'It has left me neither afflicted nor bereaved... And strangest of yet all, the blessed Presence is at times so plain that I can scarcely believe the tender tie of her embodiment is broken.'..."

[Will Dockery]

"Hieronymous707" <hierony...@gmail.com> wrote in message
news:2329227e-2f43-47ff...@googlegroups.com...
> Yesterday's wedding was Eric and Reese.
> This afternoon will be Amanda and Keith.
> Running around is a matter of fitness.
> Weddings are when I can stand as God's witness.

Business seems to be booming!

--
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[Will Dockery]

This part:

http://pennyspoetry.wikia.com/wiki/Forceythe_Willson

"...He also maintained that he was clairvoyant, and was able to divine the

contents of unopened letters, as well as some information about their
authors, by placing the envelope to his forehead."

Reminds me of Johnny Carson's Karnack character.

--
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[George Dance]

Yes, the story of Willson's tragically short life makes interesting reading. I'd like to take this opportunity to thank you for finding and posting that article on the wiki, Will. I've dressed it up a bit, as is my wont, and I'd encourage others to check out Will's link.

[George Dance]

On Monday, July 28, 2014 7:33:16 PM UTC-4, Hieronymous707 wrote:
> Okay, George. I'll ask you since Will doesn't seem to have time.
>
> Have you read through the poem yet? What do you think of it?

I thought it was well-crafted -- though, (as it often does when I'm reading narrative poetry} that meant I stopped paying attention to the verse at a point because I got caught up in the story instead. The story (an old man facing his death) was a bit maudlin to me, but that probably says more about my cynical post-modern self than it does about the poem; I'll bet his 19th-century readership loved it.

Bottom line: I'm not using it on blog or wiki, but I was happy to provide an external link (to the /American Anthology 1787-1900/ version on bartleby that's already been linked here) at the bottom of the article, so interested readers can read a sample of his work.

[Michael Pendragon]

On Monday, July 28, 2014 7:54:30 PM UTC-4, Hieronymous707 wrote:
> Well crafted, maudlin story. Got it. Thanks.

I found it far more inspirational than maudlin. The old soldier has a deathbed vision where he sees a glorious Heaven awaiting him -- where he and his old, fallen comrades are soldiers of the Lord.

[Will Dockery]

On Monday, July 28, 2014 7:33:16 PM UTC-4, Hieronymous707 wrote:
>
> Okay, George. I'll ask you since Will doesn't seem to have time.
>
> Have you read through the poem yet? What do you think of it?

Yes, I have been rather busy, and will be for the next month or so.

--
"There are some things which aren't true even if they did happen," -Ken Kesey

Check out "Idle Hour Night / Will Dockery & The Shadowville All-Stars - http://www.reverbnation.com/willdockery/song/15928895-idle-hour-night--dockery-mallard

[George Dance]

Good; I'm glad you appreciated it more. With his military background, Corey probably found it inspirational as well, and so would a good many other readers.

I thought my "bit maudlin" reaction depended more on me than on the poem, and that was the one part that got dropped out of his precis. I thought it might have sounded petty or even argumentative to reply to him stressing that point, so I'm glad you gave me the opportunity to do so here.

[George Dance]

On Monday, July 28, 2014 11:52:11 PM UTC-4, Will Dockery wrote:
> On Monday, July 28, 2014 7:33:16 PM UTC-4, Hieronymous707 wrote:
>
> > Okay, George. I'll ask you since Will doesn't seem to have time.
>
> > Have you read through the poem yet? What do you think of it?
>
> Yes, I have been rather busy, and will be for the next month or so.
>

Reading poetry is a bit like writing it: one has to clear the decks, and put aside time where nothing else is allowed to intrude, even mentally, so that one can concentrate on the art. Fortunately, with the blog and all, I've had to do that.

>
>
> --
>
> "There are some things which aren't true even if they did happen," -Ken Kesey
>
>
>
> Check out "Idle Hour Night / Will Dockery & The Shadowville All-Stars - http://www.reverbnation.com/willdockery/song/15928895-idle-hour-night--dockery-mallard

~~
The Old Sergeant / Forceythe Willson
http://www.bartleby.com/248/710.html

[George Dance]

On Tuesday, July 29, 2014 5:12:47 AM UTC-4, Hieronymous707 wrote:
> All of your perceptions depend more on you than on the poem, George.

I sure hope so. If it were the opposite, whatever would I do if I misplaced the poem?

[George Dance]

On Tuesday, July 29, 2014 5:15:14 AM UTC-4, Hieronymous707 wrote:
> Reading poetry is a bit like reading anything.
>
> First, I have to put on my glasses.
>
> I can't read shit without my glasses.

You could always try not reading shit.

[George Dance]

On Tuesday, July 29, 2014 5:19:54 AM UTC-4, Hieronymous707 wrote:
> I can't imagine you spending as much time as you do here
>
> and not having time enough to read the poem and make as
> substantive a response as 'well-crafted and maudlin', Will.

Amazing how you'd cut my response to three words, and then complain about the lack of substance.

You seem to have dropped your efforts to trolling, now that Piggy's left the building, but old habits die hard, eh?

[Michael Pendragon]

On Tuesday, July 29, 2014 12:28:23 PM UTC-4, Peter J Ross wrote:
>
> Do you illiterate morons enjoy demonstrating how stupid you are, or
> can you just not stop yourselves?

Do you ever discuss *poetry*, Peebie-Jay?

[gen...@hotmail.com]

On 29-Jul-2014, some asshole wrote:

> You could always try not reading shit.

Good advice.

That's why most of us never click on your links.

[Will Dockery]

Peter J Ross wrote:
> In alt.arts.poetry.comments on Mon, 28 Jul 2014 16:29:14 -0700 (PDT),

> George Dance wrote:
>
> > Yes, the story of Willson's tragically short life makes interesting
> > reading.
>

> No it doesn't.

So you didn't find it interesting... how does that matter to the rest of us?

[Will Dockery]

Peter J Ross wrote:
>
> Do you illiterate morons enjoy demonstrating how stupid you are

Meanwhile you've done nothing to demonstrate that you're superior in any way.

Go figure.

[gen...@hotmail.com]

On 29-Jul-2014, some asshole wrote:

> Reading poetry is a bit like writing it

How would you know?

[Michael Pendragon]

Have you ever written a poem, Gen?

[Will Dockery]

On Tuesday, July 29, 2014 2:32:48 PM UTC-4, gen...@hotmail.com wrote:

And, again, what exactly do /you/ know about it?

All you do here is post your artless heckling.

[Will Dockery]

Perhaps PJR and Gen will have a poetry discussion someday... heh.