Prisoner of Chillon (tribute to lord byron, charles gordon)



A sad look at oppression by the state over faith



My hair is grey, but not with years,
Nor grew it white
In a single night,
As men's have grown from sudden fears:
My limbs are bow'd, though not with toil,
But rusted with a vile repose,
For they have been a dungeon's spoil,
And mine has been the fate of those
To whom the goodly earth and air
Are bann'd, and barr'd--forbidden fare;
But this was for my father's faith
I suffer'd chains and courted death;
That father perish'd at the stake
For tenets he would not forsake;
And for the same his lineal race
In darkness found a dwelling place;
We were seven--who now are one,
Six in youth, and one in age,
Finish'd as they had begun,
Proud of Persecution's rage;
One in fire, and two in field,
Their belief with blood have seal'd,
Dying as their father died,
For the God their foes denied;--



Note: I never forgot this sad account of prisoners in dark, damp confinement. Deprived of scenery or sunlight or exercise of any degree. Atrophying, dying, save one.
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Written on March 26, 2023

Submitted by dougb.19255 on March 26, 2023

Modified on March 26, 2023

1:08 min read
10

Quick analysis:

Scheme A BCCBDEDEFFAXGGHHIJIJKKLL I
Closest metre Iambic pentameter
Characters 1,033
Words 216
Stanzas 3
Stanza Lengths 1, 24, 1

Wayne Blair

Born in London. Graduated law 1976 Practised eleven years, Married Hilary 1974 Two kids Lauren 1980 And Jordan 1987. Business failed 1987. Moved not knowing whither. Happy hills of Waterloo Region. Mennonite Country. Thirty four years in Industry. No complaints. Poet, photographer, nature hiker. Harmonica busker. http://puffnchord7.blogspot.com/ more…

All Wayne Blair poems | Wayne Blair Books

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Discuss the poem Prisoner of Chillon (tribute to lord byron, charles gordon) with the community...

2 Comments
  • dougb.19255
    Hey Soulof you just gave Lord Byron a four star. Not me. Any second thoughts about that? I just wanted membership to be aware of this tremendous narrative. So I transposed a small portion. The story is full of stamina and pathos. I am not sure if it shows on Byron’s page…Wayne Blair. 
    LikeReply1 year ago
  • Soulofdivya
    Hi Wayne,this is really visually rich and recreates scenes from a tortured past.
    Would really love to hear your comments on my latest poem The Award https://www.poetry.com/poem/154965/the-award#comment-116084
    LikeReply1 year ago

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"Prisoner of Chillon (tribute to lord byron, charles gordon)" Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 29 Mar. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/154964/prisoner-of-chillon-(tribute-to-lord-byron,-charles-gordon)>.

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