April 15, 2012

The Marquis Daughter

(At first glance the prompt looked like someone painting the town red so I kind of stuck with that theme!)

What was it, father, what was it you said?
"When you're older I'm hoping you'll paint the town red."
No-one knew for a dead cert that he'd been the one
to start all the riots and burgundy 'fun'.

Marquis of Waterford to all his friends
All loyally knowing he was round the bend!
Upstanding and well dressed, a royal delight, with a
ruby raw tendency he would benight

He'd gather his cronies and gladly construct
partaking  in mania, flout, then destruct 
A reprobate, hooligan, inviting duels
living off red while he's nobody's fool

Out in long scarlet coats, silk stockings too
these red gutter-bullies awaiting for you!
Painting all doors and the low window frames
leaving their trade marks in streaky acclaim

Around Melton Mowbray in garish vermilion
charging exploits of  placebo civilians
A spread and a spree, an offer to mauley
hands looking like silk leaves but stabbing like holly.

The Mad Marquis tainted by some other brush?
Reputed a title with turpentine crush
Could this man be elusive - a myth or a fact?
A fitting identity of Spring Heeled Jack

I guess under one colour, tainted the same,
we'll reach equal madness and shady disdain, but.....
What was it, father, what was it you said?
I wonder who was first to paint the town red?

*************************************************

13 comments:

Brian Miller said...

this is really cool actually and love the refs in it...and the jack ones as well...not a fan of bullies so i hope he found his end in the end...

Kat Mortensen said...

I love rhyme and this one is a cracker!

My favourite verse is the one with the "turpentine crush".

Wonderful!

Helen said...

... 'red gutter-bullies' ... I laughed out loud!!

Maggie said...

Damn, you are clever. Love it. : )

Anonymous said...

Ooooh! Quite liked this one. Perhaps you could tempt me back......?

Little Nell said...

This fair galloped along, and what a romp! I liked all the red references too; the burgundy, the vermillion. Well done.

Susan Anderson said...

"Paint the town red..."

Love this interpretation.
And the rhyme makes it romp.

=)

Jenny Woolf said...

Clever ending. And some good turns of phrase - not to mention a super rhythm.

Tess Kincaid said...

I love "living off red"...thoroughly enjoyed this...

Anonymous said...

the end is really profound. but it's true. when we live under one roof, with crazy people, we start to get crazy ourselves

sonnet 39

Stafford Ray said...

I think you covered all the reds in this rakish rhyme of redundant royalty!

Susie Clevenger said...

Magnificent rhyme and love it is full of history...very creative take on the painting.

Kathe W. said...

this is terrific! So very clever!