Poetic Story

Last updated:
1 September 2015

Where Currents Meet

The following is not a true story but simply this poet’s own creation,
A tale that one could draw much from, a yarn certainly worthy of contemplation.
Yes, it’s a fictional account that would no doubt make a good novel or movie,
For it contains adventure, thrills and romance, heartbreak, treachery and tragedy.

---

Gerald leaned against the aging veranda, his gaze distant, his eyes moist with tears,
The memory of his father’s passing still fresh, the pain hardly dulled by the years.
His mother had been heartbroken too, the last six years just a maze of emotions,
And there beside her bed sat all the evidence, assorted tablets and potions.

Gerald had done his best to look after her, and she was so grateful that he had,
But little consoled her, for the one that they’d lost was a much loved husband and dad.
And a lack of means hadn’t helped, hence their run-down home, badly in need of repair,
At which the more well-off residents in the neighbourhood would disdainfully stare.

Whilst caring for his mother, Gerald had managed to pick up some work here and there,
Just enough to get by, enough to keep the old Chevrolet going, and debts clear.
And Gerald remained devoted, focused on the task, caring for his mother’s needs,
And when he had the time, mowing the overgrown lawns, pruning trees and pulling weeds.

As time went by, a charming young woman chanced his way, and a strong attraction grew,
Which the ridicule and distaste of all her well-off relations and family drew.
And yet, so deep was their love and affection, that a future wedding day was planned,
But one where this young couple wouldn’t be spotted walking out that church hand in hand.

For as so often happens in life, certain people maliciously interfered,
And some evidence proving Gerald guilty of child molestation engineered.
Thus, Gerald was duly charged, and soon incarcerated, imprisoned for several years,
The girl he deeply loved appalled at him, hurt and angry, and oft seen shedding tears.

Gerald was devastated, his harsh time in prison a darkness beyond belief,
And in time, the death of his shocked and disappointed mother added to his grief.
After dire threats and abuse, and the end of his cruel sentence, he emerged from jail,
A shadow of his former self, a broken man, one devoid of hope, tired and pale.

During his harsh time in prison, his mother’s home had been wilfully razed by fire,
And he figured that he would be the last person that anyone in town would hire.
Therefore, after a month in a hotel in some other city, he caught a plane,
Landing in a far away country where a fresh start he hoped he would soon obtain.

As chance or destiny would have it, an opportunity quickly came his way,
And again in due time, a position of authority, much power and sway.
Soon he was greatly favoured by the king, a most trusted aid, showered with plenty,
And over any pending life or death sentence, he was given authority.

Now, life is a funny thing, and sometimes truth is stranger than fiction, people say,
For it so happened that his ex-girlfriend, family and cruel accusers, came his way.
Some drugs had been found in their luggage, his accusers’ no doubt, but all were accused,
And access to lawyers (due to his accusers’ arrogance), had thus been refused.

A life sentence awaited them as they sat in their cells, all terribly afraid,
No communication allowed with the outside world, and hope beginning to fade.
The days turned into weeks as they awaited a distressing forgone conclusion,
Knowing that each one of them were considered as having acted in collusion.

Their plight, cries, and their country of origin somehow came to Gerald’s attention,
Along with the possible need of his judiciousness — that is, intervention.
So Gerald decided to take a look into the matter, and visit their cells,
A block comprised of several rooms, where over each window hung thick metal grills.

Soon armed guards opened the door ushering Gerald into a sparsely furnished room,
Where one could almost feel the detainees sense of hopelessness, their deep doom and gloom.
Gerald stood facing a window that taunted those within, and that memories stirred,
And the fact that he was about to meet his old accusers just never occurred.

Thus, deep in thought, he hardly noticed the sorry figures now huddled behind him,
Their posture displaying defeat, and their long faces looking equally as grim.
A muffled cough broke his trance, and he turned from the window to all those assembled,
Gerald now a striking figure, uniformed, confident, and who anguish beheld.

Nothing had prepared him for this moment, and nor them, and the shock equally stunned;
Now nothing but abject horror gripped those who had accused him, disowned him, and shunned.
Yes, utter disbelief, a moment suspended in time — oh, the irony,
Seconds where words just wouldn’t come, couldn’t come, all frozen simultaneously.

His composure regained, Gerald spoke, “Surprise all round, I guess. Let’s begin, shall we?”
And with the silence broken, a discussion commenced, although somewhat haltingly.
But not a lot was added to the information that he had already seen,
And given the strong denials from them all, there was little left to pursue or glean.

Thus, their fate was at his discretion, and he told them so, the tables having turned,
And there was also something else that all those folk assembled very quickly learned.
 And that being, that unless those who’d framed him owned up, there they’d all continue to dwell,
But he believing that a looming life sentence such a confession would compel.

“I know that I wasn’t guilty,” he reminded, the same honesty in his eyes,
“And that all those cruel claims that were made about me were nothing more than dreadful lies.”
And gazing at the woman who would’ve become his wife, he soon broke her composure,
For his calm, confident directness and repeated innocence troubled her.

Gerald knew that the ones who were completely innocent would hardly plead guilty,
And that those who were, would confess, thus bargaining on going free eventually.
And there he left them, for time would help out the truth (or further clever means, if need be),
For he had no intention of punishing innocent members of that family.

Dana had loved him deeply, but the evidence had seemed far too compelling to her,
Hence why she’d turned her back on him, but now, something deep inside her began to stir.
Could it be, she now wondered, that he was innocent after all — a dreadful thought,
And more so, given all he’d been through, and she remembered just how hard he had fought.

The more she pondered on such, the more troubled she became, and old feelings were stirred,
And Gerald was hardly unaffected too, for he knew that she’d innocently erred.
Yes, the weight of evidence, and family pressure, would’ve been considerable,
And therefore, her rejection of him most understandable, and inevitable.

Dana knew that her family had been strongly opposed to their relationship,
And a family friend had been secretly jealous, her young brother had let slip.
That same family friend was sharing this holiday disaster, and he smoked dope,
Dope just like that found in two of their suitcases in a hidden brown envelope.

Dana, who’d remained single, now began seriously questioning her family,
And thus soon began to pick up on things that she hadn’t noticed previously.
Those who had framed Gerald couldn’t bare the scrutiny, nor the thought of life in jail,
And more so such a jail, thus Gerald was summoned to finally see truth prevail.

Their confession, born of self preservation, was witnessed, documented, and then signed,
And both the culprits (a family member and family friend), elsewhere were confined.
And there they’d remain for the same length of time that Gerald was incarcerated,
For justice and due penalty, and not vengeance, was how Gerald operated.

Yes, despite the way that Gerald had been treated, his character remained unchanged,
And accommodation for the rest in a luxury hotel was soon arranged.
There they all could stay until a flight home was arranged, or longer, should they wish to,
And at no cost also, all the sights and sounds of their lush surroundings pursue.

“I’m so sorry,” Dana volunteered, “If only I had known. Who knows what you’ve been through.”
And she slowly shook her head in disbelief, her feelings shared by the others too.
“A member of our own family, and a family friend too,” she continued,
And she again shook her head, saying, “And look at our behaviour, sad attitude.”

The same disbelief and remorse was echoed from behind her — oh, the enormity,
Yes, something only now beginning to hit home — plus, Gerald’s generosity.
“I’m so sorry,” she said again. “Well, what’s done is done,” Gerald replied graciously,
“It's time to move on.” And then he whispered, “Could I meet you for dinner at six thirty?”

His request took her by surprise, and Dana seemed to fluster momentarily.
“Of course,” she almost stammered. He smiled in return. “Good, I will send for you early.”
And while her family dined on the hotel’s finest, all courtesy of Gerald,
She, dined within the king’s palace, and unknowingly, her future life thus beheld.

Well, I guess that's a happy ending, but things could have turned out so differently,
And most certainly so, if Gerald had decided to act far less graciously.
And despite what happened to him, things worked together for good, and joy thus returned,
And all because revenge and bitterness were negatives that Gerald wisely spurned.

Yes, life is all about those daily choices that we make, for better or for worse,
Choices that will assist either good or evil, and are a blessing or a curse.
That is, choices that will help things work together for good, or simply the reverse,
For there are two opposing forces battling for control within the universe.

“Thank you, Gerald, it has truly been a most wonderful evening,” Dana conveyed.
“The pleasure is all mine,” Gerald responded, wishing that much longer she could have stayed.
But poor Dana was clearly very tired from all the events that had transpired,
And to the warmth and comfort of her luxurious hotel room thus retired.

The following days were filled with moments together, moments that became longer,
And their affection and desire for each other soon noticeably much stronger.
Feelings once so deep, but interrupted by treachery, were now reignited,
And neither Gerald nor Dana had ever felt so in love and so excited.

“Will you marry me, Dana?” came the words that she had been hoping she would soon hear.
“And,” Gerald softly continued, “Then spend the rest of your life living with me here?”
And beneath soft lights, and the crackle of a fire keeping the cool night air outside,
There came a joyous, “Oh, yes! yes! yes!” from the lips of a glowing soon to be bride.

Yes, we all love happy endings, and much more so, where there has been such treachery,
For we rejoice seeing good triumph over evil, of which it will, ultimately.
But meantime, evil often gets its way, and endings are not always so happy,
And often, via our response, good or bad, we determine certain endings that we see.

Thus, Where Currents Meet, is all about those choices between good and evil that we make,
Those forces we choose between, and ultimately, those right or wrong paths that we take.
For currents swirl about us daily, and as we know, there are risks where currents meet,
And currents come in many forms, things that life throws at us, certain people we greet.

Within this saga here, we see good triumphing over evil ultimately,
And plotters getting their due comeuppance when the tables turned fortuitously.
When boy met girl, currents clashed, tragedy occurred, and things flowed in new directions,
But it all worked together for good, restoring noble desires and affections.

And yes, Gerald and Dana did live happily ever after!

By Lance Landall


This poem was penned March 2010.