Lonely Bell
Lonely Bell
I am flawed
in every aspect.
If there were a law about me
it would be Murphy’s.
If there were an aspic,
it would not
have properly gelled.
The bell tolls for me
only in the sense
that it wrings from me
some price.
But here’s what’s nice–
Someone with wings,
someone unlike me, unwrung,
might not listen to the bell,
and the bell wheresoe’re it tolls
(and it is “‘ere”) wants
to be listened to, wants
a following whom,
or hum–
that lonely bell,
you know,
that one–
***********************
Drafty poem for Real Toads Open Platform, hosted by Kerry O’Connor.
I’ve been publicizing it for a bit, but if you haven’t heard I’ve got a new book out called DOGSPELL or Sally & Seemore & the Meaning of Mushki is out! It is achildren’s novel, written (with some help from my dear departed Pearl) and much illustrated by me. Great for any dog lover. Available on Amazon. When at Amazon, check out my other books! 1 Mississippi, Going on Somewhere, Nose Dive, and Nice.
Tags: Dogspell, http://withrealtoads.blogspot.com, lonely bell poem, manicddaily, murphy's law and donne poem, toll poem
You can comment below, or link to this permanent URL from your own site.
ManicDDaily 
July 20, 2016 at 3:40 am
I think we need that bell, we need to listen to it in decent measures.. I do not think anyone is free from flaws… and the ones that think they do have more problems.
July 20, 2016 at 7:10 am
I love your bell poem. It moves beautifully.
July 20, 2016 at 8:39 am
People, like bells, wish to be heard.
July 20, 2016 at 11:46 am
Interesting. “Lonely Bell” sounds like a name to me, like Annabelle or Marybeth or something. Brings a female personification to this that I really like. And it goes with Dogspell. So, perfect!
July 20, 2016 at 12:45 pm
Ha. Not sure about that title actually but those are good points! Thanks, Marian. K.
July 20, 2016 at 1:33 pm
I love this … especially “wants a following whom” and “If there were a law about me it would be Murphy’s.”
July 20, 2016 at 7:03 pm
One lonely bell, indeed. I like your word play on ring, wring. Many of us think the bell tolls for us, most times it calls to come or tells impending events. Some tell of sadness.
Our daughter was three when we spent a few days in Dubrovnik. There were many chapels with bells, she classified them as “one bell churches,’ ‘two bell churches,’ or ‘three bell churches.’
..
July 20, 2016 at 11:32 pm
I have been listening to the bells of others and have become angry by their tunes. I am trying so hard to not play my own sour notes.
July 21, 2016 at 8:14 am
Toll is a wonderful word here, as the sense of a heavy price exacted hovers line by line–but for what? Personhood, freedom, or simply the (here uncaptured) joy that comes from ringing out one’s flawed music and not caring who hears. Hope all is well with you.