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The Vineyard in the Sea
Author's note:
When I was thirteen, I picked up a bok called Madame Tussaud. Afterward, my life became centered around learning more and more about the French Revolution. In the beginning, I was going to write about the guards at the Bastille when it was stormed, but after reading about the prelude to the revolution for AP World History, this idea prickled my mind and I developed it into a narrative poetry novel.
I hope you enjoy this novel about a little known event that shook the French countryside.
I assumed it would be
filled,
blooming
with bright budding flowers
But instead, it’s a small bouquet of
monkshoods
petunias
and abatinas
In the morning, you’re innocent
and by evening
you’re as stained as a black rose
By evening,
you’re being sent to your own guillotine
one you built yourself
set in a garden of
monkshoods
petunias
and abatinas
the march
the fire
burning and searing
through the raven air
Through mountains
of muck
Fountains of
foul language
we marched
we marched to
we marched to his home
up this hill to his home
his home
that impaled all others
on gilded spikes
The people inside the others
barely missed the point
but it scarred them
anyway
It scared them
anyway
And now they carried
pitchforks
torches
spikes made from revenge
the stench of foul language
Whether it’s
cussing
shouting
screaming
gossiping
Idle gossip started this
And to save myself
and Papa
I must take part
To save us from
the spikes of revenge
Monsieur Faute carries
and the spikes of fear
everyone else carries
I must add
to the stench
is full of a
swirling aroma
of grape and alcohol
and blood and sweat
is a potion
that makes people spill
everything
from gaping mouths
All the foul language
comes piling out
through wine
Good wine
is deep burgundy
with a slight glint
in its color
but the wine
I carried up that hill
in my eyes
in my head
in my soul
was black
with no glint
good wine
Good enough for Faute
Good enough for all the others
who wanted to spill
poison
bile
hate
from gaping mouths
and Faute had slammed his hand
down on the counter
demanding
more wine
Papa scurried to fetch
our best
and brought it
on a silver platter
befitting a king
Faute had smiled
This.. this is a good wine
and took a deep sip
deep deep deep deep deep
and when he returned to the surface
he inhaled
and bellowed out gossip
That bastard Fezensac will get what’s coming to him
I bet he has a plan to kill us all
out of pure revenge
for our triumphs at the Bastille
The sea roared
took him
and gave him a crown
King Faute
King of killing kings
King of killing almost-kings
outside where it picked up
pitchforks
torches
spikes
And then it followed him
to a good man’s home
Where Simone,
my love,
his niece,
was reading
Where Claude,
my closest friend,
his eldest,
was snoring
Where Herbert,
my laugh,
his youngest,
was dreaming
Where he,
my savior,
the noble,
was breathing
I’ll give you evidence
but what good will that do?
If you live like the sea,
you’ve made up your mind
Coward
But if you live like the grapes,
you can do anything
be anything
Good wine or sour wine
1. He saved us
Mama died
Papa died inside
Harvest was bad
Wine was bad
Money was weak
The town was is weak
He returned from Paris--
from the Estates-General--
for us
He bought our wine
He played cards with our people
He listened to our complaints
He gave me friends
He rebuilt our town
the sea turns on him now
the sound of a door breaking open
it’s like the crashing of waves
of bad wine, blackened
When the sea roared again
I left
and found my own way in
without smelling
foul language
without drinking
foul wine
is as lovely as
fresh air
She is uncontaminated
She is peaceful
And she is smart
is always open
and inviting
to anyone who knows where it is
I do
I’ve spent many mornings
looking at her
looking at the sunrise
through the open window
And I know
how to get in
which means
I know how to escape
and makes a great ladder
a silent ladder
Hand here,
foot here
That’s a wobbly stone
Not there
Hand here,
foot here
Breach the sill
and slip in
The name of an angel
coming from the voice of an angel
Gabriel! What are you doing?
Getting you out.
Where is Claude?
With Uncle.
And Herbert?
With me.
A small head
poked its way through
A sturdy mountain of clothes
So obvious
So smart
We can leave through the servants’ quarters.
Uncle won’t leave here.
Claude won’t leave Uncle.
Herbert won’t leave Claude.
I won’t leave Herbert.
is like grapes
Mostly good,
but sometimes sour
That’s what I told her
hoping it would
convince someone
but
she smiled
a sunrise smile
and hugged Herbert closer
We won’t leave without each other
how the people history
remembers
are often seen as
courageous
But rather,
I find them cowardly
History will remember
Faute,
maybe me
But I have a feeling
it won’t remember
Claude
Fezensac
Herbert
Simone
who’s courage is like a sunrise
has no clue what
it’s unfolding
but it hopes
that it will be as good as
burgundy wine
placed her hand on my shoulder
Convince them
and you have us
to Fezensac’s room across the manor
darting from windows
hiding from bricks
dragging Simone and Herbert
behind me
The gilded door gleamed gallantly
hidden in the raven’s night
And there was the savior
and there was his son
please.
his eyes down
his face shielded
his hands shaking
No, Gabriel
No.
my shoulder,
held her breath
Claude shook his head,
sighed sadly
Herbert tugged his father’s arm,
comforted his toy bear
Let them attack
Let them destroy this old home
Let them take everything
Let them tear down society
Let their fear control them
Let their vengeful hearts take hold
I’ll pray for their souls
and I’ll pray for mine
Father you are being too serious.
How else would you prefer me Claude?
I had to sheath my sword
The air was too thick to cut
Father, the villagers want blood.
Gabriel knows a way out if you’d just--
Disgrace my father?
And his father before him?
And his father before him?
And his father before him?
And his father before him?
And his father before him?
And his father before him?
Do that if you must.
For your family won’t leave without you.
And you will all surely
die
if you remain here
Fezensac shuddered and exhaled
The air gripped tighter around itself
and smoke filtered in
I remember the first day
I met Fezensac and his family
The air had been just as thick
but not this cloudy
There had been
no mob
no pain
no death
no love
then
The smoke grew heavier
and the air more tense
Faute.
It was his voice that also filled
the looming darkness
The voice of the
King of Devils
himself
Bastard.
I saw everyone in the room
Their eyes
glowing
in terror
Uncle we must go. Please.
Please Fezensac...
Throw away your pride
and protect your family
protect your family,
not your pride
click clack click clack click clack
It was the sound of shoes clacking up stairs--
peasant, poor soleless shoes
The window is open
Simone’s window is open
The escape hatch is still open
And Simone’s room is nowhere near the stairs
But it can be
to anyone who moves quickly
Like Faute
A brick crashed through his window
stood still as
Herbert cried
Simone pleaded
Claude gathered precious things
We stood facing each other
Eyes locked on eyes
in the raven’s darkness
into a dead man’s eyes
Seeing his final wishes
and his departed soul
and his hope for a better future
for those who’s eyes
haven’t glazed over
yet
They all looked back at me
We cannot leave him!
Daddy no no!
Father won’t survive the night!
There’s also something about
looking into guilty eyes
I’m sure they were feeling it
looking into mine
But I could save myself yet
I could save myself
Papa
Herbert
Claude
Simone
if I got them out
alive
Simone, your uncle needs your trust
Herbert, your daddy will be fine
Claude, your father needs you to be courageous
I looked into the fear enveloping them all
and for a moment I pitied them
and for more than a moment I feared for them
but I would not deny Fezensac’s
final wish
a burning life
is stronger than
the smell of
foul language
bad wine
and salty sea wind
I thought I’d save them all
I thought we’d all make it to the field of
beautiful budding flowers
and I suppose,
in a way,
one of us did
But the rest of us
continued our search
for good wine,
deep red, shining, and smooth
while immersed
in an endless sea.
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