Zinnias and Tea by Randall Davis Barfield - Poetry: The Best Words in the Best Order - #BlogchatterA2ZChallenge2021

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 ZINNIAS AND TEA

RANDALL DAVIS BARFIELD

                                                               Pinterest


I shall see

after death with the

happiest eyes

The dark they now bear

Will have ceased

Their days they now bear

Full of zinnias and tea

Their aromatic nights

Of gardenias.

                                                            Amazon.in

I shall sport after death

Two new acute ears

The silence they now bear

Will have ceased

Their days will be festive

Many booms, many pops

Their nights of the sweetest

Cricketry.


After death I shall throw

The mellowest voice

My audience will travel

Many miles by choice

The days will be rich

And mellifluous

The nights harmonious

And lush.

The Poet: Randall Davis Barfield 

Randall Davis Barfield is a contemporary American writer who lives in Columbia. He is an Academic who teaches classes for IELTS, EFL and TOEFL. He also works as a proof reader. An author at authorsden, he has written many short plays that have been staged. 

His poem, 'Zinnias and Tea', is a tribute to the one and only Helen Keller, a wonderful lady who, with the help of her devoted companion, Anne Sullivan, overcame her disabilities and made a mark in the world. In fact, 50% of the proceeds of this poem go to the Carter Centre.

                                                             Wikipedia

While reams and reams are written about poets who lived in the past, the information about contemporary writers is rather sketchy. One needs to piece together tiny bits and try to create a patchwork.

The poem 'Zinnias and Tea' offers a tribute to Helen Keller who was born into a world of absolute silence. She could neither see, nor speak nor hear. Into this world came in a devoted and determined companion cum nurse named Anne Sullivan and turned this little girl's life around. Today, Helen Keller is known the world over for her incredible courage in the face of disability.

                                                              Amazon.in

The poem is a paean of hope, as it portrays Helen speaking of her life after death. She says that the darkness that her eyes now bear will cease in the afterlife and she will be able to spend her life amid zinnias and tea during the day and fragrant gardenias at night. 

Her ears which bear silence will open up to various sounds - pops and booms - and the sweet noises made by crickets in the still of the night.

After death, she will throw her voice, silent up till then, in the mellowest fashion and enthrall audiences who will travel from afar to hear her. The days will be melodious and rich, the nights harmonious and lush.

The poem exemplifies Helen Keller's beautiful spirit of acceptance and hopes that in the afterlife, she will have gained everything she was deprived of here on earth.


"Death is no more than passing from one room into another. But there's a difference for me, you know. Because in that other room I shall be able to see." Helen Keller

                                                               AuthorsDen


 This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2ZChallenge2021

   https://www.theblogchatter.com

   #BlogChatterA2Z #BlogChatterA2Z2021        



 


Comments

  1. Unknown4/30/2021 10:58:00 AM

    Another beautiful choice today. Helen must have really wanted all these things and the poet depicted them so well. Your interpretation and summary are spot on.
    Loved your series
    Deepika Sharma

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. deepti menon5/02/2021 11:02:00 AM

      Helen was such a fighter, despite her disabilities. I do hope she got all these things in her afterlife. Thank you so much, Deepika. I will miss your comments! All the very best!

      Delete
  2. Suchita4/30/2021 03:32:00 PM

    The poem was beautiful in and of itself but with that added layer of understanding, it was at once heartbreaking and inspiring.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. deepti menon5/02/2021 11:03:00 AM

      Suchita, thank you so much for saying that. I am honoured. I will miss doing this challenge and your comments as well. All the best!

      Delete
  3. Purba chakraborty4/30/2021 09:52:00 PM

    What a beautiful and profound poem! Amazing analysis.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. deepti menon5/02/2021 11:04:00 AM

      Thank you ever so much, Purba. Thank you for all the encouragement. All the best!

      Delete
  4. aditi 5/02/2021 08:02:00 AM

    This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. aditi 5/02/2021 08:03:00 AM

    Beautiful poem displaying the hopeful personality of Helen Keller. She wishes to go to the other side of the world to achieve what she doesn't have in this life.
    Visit https://aditikapur.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. deepti menon5/02/2021 11:05:00 AM

      Thank you so much, Aditi. I do hope Helen was able to fulfil her wishes in the next world.

      Delete
  6. Amina Creations5/02/2021 02:59:00 PM

    Such a beautiful poem... Wonderful analysis..

    ReplyDelete
  7. deepti menon5/02/2021 07:07:00 PM

    Thank you so much, Amina Creations!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Chinmayee Gayatree Sahu5/05/2021 12:09:00 AM

    What an amazing poem and your analysis was so beautiful. It made me see things in a different perspective! Wonderful 👌

    ReplyDelete

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