The Silent Raconteur

The Silent Raconteur

Tender feet, so distressed

After a day of swiveling limbs

Threadbare, he reaches for a quilt,

Regarding hands too weak to to stretch

 Somber eyes, memories seen

Never once asked to tell

 Reaching for the bandage, it's swelled

Dressing his wounds clean

Next time Grandpa Joe has something on his mind, listen. Odds are it's a damn good story to hear. Those scars you see, veiling his brow, hands, knees, body, tell times of his past, yearning to be discovered.

First, It should be noted that I was only three paragraphs into “A Piece of Steak,” when I became inspired to write a poem, vividly telling of a man so predisposed in the past, but forced to forget and fast-forward to the current. It has absolutely no relevancy to the actual story, told by Jack London, though I'm sure it is possible to correlate between the two ambiguously.

The poem primarily incorporates symbolism and allegory to denote that he is not only just a weary, reserved man, but one who, in his youth, could have suffered trauma. His “tender feet” (1) are worked after years of manual labor. The reason why “tender” was used is to juxtapose a child to this elderly man, explaining the revolution man makes as he is born, matures, grows old, and finally reverts back to a childlike mentality. His heart and mind are impressionable like that of a young boy.

Simultaneously, he is calloused and cannot feel emotion as he once did. His “somber eyes” allow him to see through a mesh screen, netting visions that remind him of “memories seen.” (5) To contradict a statement above, he is neglected, just as some of the elderly are when their bodies don't allow them to participate in activities they once could have. He is independent, “threadbare” and keeps himself warm with a measly “quilt.” (3) He “dress[es] his own “wounds,” and forbids himself of bringing up the past. He “clean[s]” the dirt from his cuts and scrapes. (8)Though the dirt may render morose memories, it should not be cached; for, it could cause infection. It should be sifted to the surface and removed so that it couldn't harm him in the future, haunt him without news.

It's a shame that “bandages” (7) cover his untold tales of the past. From what it seems like, these stories are yearning for a voice to recount them. They are “swelled,” constantly reminding him of the secrecy. (8) Unfortunately, no one has inquired about “The Silent Raconteur's” past, but his age and distress only make his undivulged history a burden to his spirit.