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

 ZINNIAS AND TEA

RANDALL DAVIS BARFIELD

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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 This post is a part of #BlogchatterA2ZChallenge2021

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