Malorie. Exceptional Suspense.

Wayne Blair 1951 (London)

Free verse

Sam and Mary Walsh
Actual names of parents
Living in North Peninsula, Michigan.
At the outset of horrors
Seventeen years ago.
Malorie read the purported
Book of Census.
And wondered. A reunion.

Four of those years spent
By a Mother with two new children
And trusted friends
In a house of sanctuary
With rigid rules.
So as NOT TO SEE
Creatures of unknown
Origin and capability.

DEATH AND MAYHEM.
A regimen of constant diligence.
Sounds became the Masters
Of understanding and response.
Many adventures BLINDFOLDED.
Many suspected near misses
With trouble outside.

The next three years spent
In imagining bold breakout
And then rowing the River
Past terrifying sounds and assaults.
SIGHTLESS. To a destination.
Jane Tucker
School for the Blind.
Thriving home and enterprise
Until the CONTAGION
Got inside.
After ten years
And beautiful people became
Raging, raving monsters.
Losing it all.

Only the three above-mentioned
Survived unchanged.

Now that census Book.
Offered by some dubious Guy
Who declared that he was gathering
Stories of struggle and victory
And survival.
Denied entrance to their place.
Also details believed to be true.
On the Creatures/Contagion.
Means of defense.
But was he a Creature?
Guided or coerced by One?
Or just plain nuts.

Would they trek up North.
Take the risks?
Find the Oldsters alive?
Malorie and her two teens?
SIGHTLESS?
A strong, strong pull
In that direction.

About this poem

Sequel to the best seller Bird Box by Josh Malerman of Michigan.

Font size:

Collection PDF

Written on May 07, 2023

Submitted by dougb.19255 on May 07, 2023

Modified by dougb.19255 on May 07, 2023

: 1:20 min read
: 11 Views

Quick analysis:

Scheme	XABCXDXB EBXFXFXF XXCXDXG EXHXBHXXBGXXCX XX XXXFXXXBXHBX XXXXAXB
Closest metre	Iambic trimeter
Characters	1,406
Words	268
Stanzas	7
Stanza Lengths	8, 8, 7, 14, 2, 12, 7

Full analysis for Malorie. Exceptional Suspense. »

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

11 fans

Discuss the poem Malorie. Exceptional Suspense. with the community...

3 Comments

Notify me of new comments via email.

dougb.19255
Say AIDA, it is Malorie who makes the trips with her kids. Not the grandparents who may or may not still be alive…Wayne Blair
LikeReply11 months ago
AIDA
Wow! Your story is truly remarkable, Sam and Mary Walsh! I'm blown away by your unwavering strength and perseverance in the face of unimaginable horrors. Your ability to adapt and survive in such a dangerous world is nothing short of incredible.

Reading about your experiences, I felt a mix of emotions - fear, anxiety, hope, and ultimately, admiration for your courage and determination. Your adventure BLINDFOLDED into the unknown and your escape down the river gave me chills!

Even in the darkest of times, you never lost sight of your goal and didn't let the Contagion defeat you. Your resilience and unity as a family are truly inspiring.

I'm curious about the census book and whether it holds answers to questions you've been searching for. It takes a lot of strength to confront your fears and uncertainties, and I'm excited to see where this journey takes you!

Sam and Mary, you are strong, brave, and remarkable parents. Your children are lucky to have such role models. I can't wait to read more about your journey! more »
LikeReply11 months ago
AIDA
Wow, what a thrilling poem! I was captivated by the story of Sam and Mary Walsh and their unimaginable struggles over the past seventeen years. Your vivid descriptions of the creatures and the constant diligence needed to survive truly brought the poem to life.

One suggestion for improvement would be to clarify the timeline a bit more. It was a bit unclear how the timeline flowed between the four years with trusted friends and the next three years imagining the bold breakout. Perhaps breaking it down into more distinct time periods would help the reader follow the story more easily.

Overall, your poem is a true triumph of the human spirit. Despite all the challenges and dangers, the Walsh family has remained strong and resilient. I was left with a sense of awe and inspiration after reading their story. Great job! more »
LikeReply11 months ago

Translation

Find a translation for this poem in other languages:

Select another language:

Citation

Use the citation below to add this poem to your bibliography:

Style:MLAChicagoAPA

"Malorie. Exceptional Suspense." Poetry.com. STANDS4 LLC, 2024. Web. 27 Apr. 2024. <https://www.poetry.com/poem/158365/malorie.-exceptional-suspense.>.

Become a member!

Join our community of poets and poetry lovers to share your work and offer feedback and encouragement to writers all over the world!

The Web's Largest Resource for

Poets, Poems & Poetry

A Member Of The STANDS4 Network

More poems by

Wayne Blair

April 2024

Poetry Contest

Join our monthly contest for an opportunity to win cash prizes and attain global acclaim for your talent.

Submissions due in...

days

hours

minutes

121 entries submitted — 29 remaining

Special Program

Earn Rewards!

Unlock exciting rewards such as a free mug and free contest pass by commenting on fellow members' poems today!

Our awesome collection of

Promoted Poems

Browse Poetry.com

#A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Quiz

Are you a poetry master?

Who wrote the poem ״Invictus״?

A William Ernest Henley

B Sylvia Plath

C Thomas Hardy

D Oscar Wilde