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In an exercise on parody about 55 years ago, I chose She Walks in Beauty by Tennyson to re-word. First, read the original, then read what I did
to it.
She Walks
in Beauty By Alfred
Lord Tennyson She walks in beauty like the night Of cloudless climes and starry
skies; And all that's best of dark and
bright Meet in her aspect and her eyes; Thus mellowed to that tender light Which heaven to gaudy day denies. One shade the more, one ray the
less, Had half impaired that nameless
grace
Which wanes
in every raven tress Or softly lightens o'er her face, Where thoughts serenely sweet
express How pure, how clear their dwelling
place. And on that cheek, and o'er that
brow, So soft, so calm, so elegant, The smiles that win, the tints that
glow, But tell of days in goodness spent, A mind at peace with all below,
A heart
whose love is innocent.
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A re-writing of the original in a slightly different
tone by T. M. Grafius, Sr.
She Stalks
in Darkness by T. M. Grafius, Sr. She stalks in darkness like a
fright Of windswept woods and starless
skies; And all that's worst of dark and
night Meet in her face and bloodshot
eyes, Thus rotted to that soft delight Which Hell to innocent day denies. One shade the more, one ray the
less Could not improve that horrid face
Which hides
in every dark recess Or
cooly
frightens in this space; And thoughts so evil they distress The pure,
who
fear its dwelling place. And in that look, that furrowed
brow, So cold, so hard, to horror lent, The leer that scares, the evil
glow,
That tell of days in
murder spent. A mind that lived with those below,
A heart no
longer innocent.
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Greeple the Space Caterpillar an illustrated children's story |
Busy Lizzie's Rhyming Book illustrated story-in-verse |
The Lonely Christmas Tree poem |
No More Jokes, Please illustrated children;s story |
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The Midnight Ride a scary poem |
The Face of Death a spooky poem |
My First Motorcycle
Hill Climb a short story |
Lost in Wolf Creek Valley a short story with pictures |
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The Hume
Hunters Two hunters on trail of alien game. |
The Glass Factory A story of childhood friendship and loss. |