"Top Withens"...believed to be the inspiration for Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights.
Who could be Heathcliff incarnate? Only you.
Cathy? Only me.
It's how we were. Yes, quintessentially us,
from the very first reading. Our lives
playing out in the printed pages,
chapter by chapter.
Eavesdropping on parallel lives
that never were: just reflections
of us, mirror images. My passion
was demanding too much, an impossible ideal:
the Soulmate that never existed. Beelzebub
prodded me night and day.
The furious clashes were our nature.
Beelzebub was our master.
Both of us were driven
to dominate, to be top dog.
And both failed miserably.
The wild moors and crags
symbolized all we were: wild,
obsessive and half-crazed.
We fed off each other's paranoia.
My jealousy, your greed
terrified us both, like Emily's fear
of her own creations.
So who, then, was Isabella? Any one
of many: anyone young, blonde, blue-eyed -
naive, yet appealing. Oh I despised
as much as you lusted. You had
that power over me, could drag me
into the pit of self-loathing.
So I sought Edgar, to staunch
the bleeding of the deep wounds
you so carelessly inflicted. Nelly Dean,
alias my best friend, attempted
to make me see sense. Whose novel
were we living out? Too late to go back
and reread. Wuthering Heights in ruins,
a gaunt shell. Your rejection,
a shocking revelation
of shallowness. The mocking laughter
of Hindley became raging winds,
a destructive tornado. I hurled
the truth at you.
A molten thunderbolt, an avalanche.
The full moon's face
bleached the moor. I watched your features
distorting, fading into silver nothingness -
or were they mine?
Mine. It was I who was fading
and I blamed you.
But the true culprit was the pen - Emily's pen -
speeding across the page,
that had long ago sealed my fate.
Thank God you have'nt mentioned the awful
ReplyDeletesong..by Kate Tree-Branch-sorry Bush...! :).
What a mess that is..! :(.
I have'nt read the book, it's no secret, l don't
read books..Patience..or lack of it..l'm o.k.
with reference books, with pictures and things,
though now with internet l don't bother!
But the original film..1939..with Laurence Olivier
and Merle Oberon l've seen many times..Amazing film!
And..of course won an Academy Award for Best
Cinematography, in Black-and-White...
And..yes..Top Withens is accepted as the inspiration,
but, some of Wuthering Heights's architectural details
are closer to nearby High Sunderland Hall...!
I'm off to make some tea..and upon my return, l shall
have another read..Who knows! Who knows! The old man
of the mountain knows..that's who...???
**✿❀ ❀✿**゚ **✿❀ ❀✿**゚ **✿❀ ❀✿**゚
Oh Willie...I love the Kate Bush song...was one of my all-time favourite songs of the 70's!
DeleteStill, I guess life would be rather boring if we all liked the same things, eh?
Yes, I like the Laurence Olivier version too...but the 1970 one, with Timothy Dalton, is is even better I think. :)
I've spent many hours hanging around Top Withens, just soaking up the atmosphere. I can see why Emily was drawn to it. It is SO isolated and atmospheric!
Many thanks, Willie...and enjoy your tea! :))
Here l am enjoying me tea...
DeleteAnd a Knock! Knock! joke came to mind...
Knock! Knock!
Who's there..?
Isabella..!
Is a bella necessary on a bike..! :).
(Sorry! l'll go and lie down)..
Haha...yes, Willie...go lie down!! LOL
Deletehave a great weekend! :))
I really liked the poem and the new blog profile picture.
ReplyDeleteWho is Isabella, who will know? But Ygraine I know and really like your friendship!
Kisses and good weekend!
Oh WOW, you are so kind...thank you so much!
DeleteAnd I really appreciate your precious friendship too...:))
A magical weekend to you too!
Kisses xxx
Thanks for the picture at the opening of this poem.
ReplyDeleteOnce again an amazing poem, you really should publish a book, if you haven't already done so!
Love your new profile photograph.
Take care my blogging friend and I wish you a good weekend.
All the best Jan
Oh WOW...thank you so much, Jan...your kind words mean so much to me!
DeleteNo, I'm not in print...have a few rejection slips though!;)
So glad you like the photos! :))
Wishing you a super weekend too.
Hugs xxx
Your course "Y", thought provoking!
ReplyDelete__ A point... needs of sea as a mind's wake travels... on its course to reach any common goal. _m
mind wake
conflicts of self
combine each others worth
when values unite course on course
apex
Brilliant, and so, so eloquent...as always, Doug! Oh if only I had your skill with words...
DeleteI had such fun with this one though...certainly expanded the brain cells! Lol
Thank you so much...
Love (and am awed by) your poem.
ReplyDeleteThe very best writing is a reflection of people we know, of people we are, of people we try to be...
Huge hugs. And thanks.
Oh thank you my dear friend...so much!
DeleteI started out wondering if anyone lived lives like these in reality...and, of course, my rather vivid imagination quickly took over! ;)
Lots of Love & Hugs xxx
I really like Bronte novel and actually any fine novels from this age. You are inspired with so many things, you are truly a poet! Anlther poem which is so beautifully written and so smart☺
ReplyDeleteOh WOW...my heartfelt thanks, Natalia!
DeleteI am so happy you enjoyed...:))
Have a great day xxx
It's a haunting poem. Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteGreetings from London.
Aww...thank you, CiL! I really appreciate that.:))
DeleteGreetings from Hampshire.
Unas imágenes preciosas !
ReplyDeleteEs un placer leerte! Feliz domingo! ♡♡♡
Oh WOW...thank you, Carolina...you are so kind! :))
DeleteWishing you a brilliant Sunday too!!
Hugs xxx
So happy you enjoyed...and thank you so much! xxx
ReplyDeleteThank you so, so much for your wonderfully encouraging words...they truly mean so much!:))
ReplyDeleteHave a fabulous Sunday!
Poesia e fotografie molto belle.
ReplyDeleteBuona serata.
So glad you like the poem and photo, Giancarlo!
DeleteThis is a place I love to visit, as often as I can.😊
Thank you so much...😊😊
A Hug xxx
Such a wonderful poem and sort of a rant against and for the wonderful story, both written and as reproduced on the screen so many times. I wonder if we all aren’t pulled in and find parts us?
ReplyDeleteLoved it,
Hope you are having a wonderful weekend,
Tony
Oh WOW...thank you so much!😊😊
DeleteYes, reproduced so many times...and I often wonder what Emily would have thought of it's enduring popularity and "literary classic" status.
So sad that it's success was delayed until after her death...
Hope you had a brilliant weekend too!😊
this poem deserve an award dear Ygraine
ReplyDeletehow you squeezed the whole story into your majestic poetry is STUNNING :)
i am so grateful for i did not know the novelist and i think her only work seems to be worth trying !
your skills of dealing with each topic with same grip and depth is divine indeed !
wishing you all the happiness and health in this world my precious talented friend!
I totally agree with your opinion, Baili
DeleteDearest Baili...oh how kind...and encouraging!
ReplyDeleteOh thank you, so much.😊😊
I really do hope you can read "Wuthering Heights" one day...but be warned, it was considered rather outrageous in it's day...and also, some parts are written in Yorkshire dialect, which is quite difficult to understand!
The 1970 movie of the story is very good. It stars Timothy Dalton as Heathcliff, and Anna Calder Marshall as Cathy.
This is my all time favourite version!
Thank you again, my wonderful friend...for your much appreciated encouragement. 😊😊
Lots of love and hugs ❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteif I were good at English, I would really understand the meaning of this poem correctly, and surely it would be very useful for me
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean...translation between languages is a bit difficult sometimes, isn't it?!
DeleteI am so grateful for your visits anyway...and I really like your blog.😊😊
Have a great day!
Buon martedi.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Giancarlo.😊😊
DeleteAnd wishing you a fabulous weekend!
A hug xxx
Hello... visit here Ygraine
ReplyDeleteHi Amar...and thank you so much for your visit!
DeleteI love your blog!😊😊
__Smiles, your words... that wandered into senryu. +m
ReplyDeleterejection
a shocking revelation
shallowness
Fabulous, Doug...sums up in a few words what takes me yours to express!
DeleteSuch amazing talent!!
Thank you so much...😊😊
Beautiful.
ReplyDeleteAww...thank you, Rue!😊😊
ReplyDeleteyour writing is amazing and descriptive and filled with ...magic words that make me travel to the next line and the next. wonderfilled.
ReplyDeleteYou always amaze me girl!!!
ReplyDeleteBig Hugs! (By the way, beautiful picture you have in your profile!)