Saga For the Jedi - A Poem - ROTS or just after

Hello

It's been a while since I've written anything not for school, and I have no idea why my poetic muse decided to wake up for two hours last night when she's been in a coma for months. Anyway, this was written quite late last night, and has been beta'd in absolutely no way at all.

Title: For the Jedi
Era: ROTS, or just after
Characters: I'll get back to you on this one.

Summary: There were those like Bail Organa who were horrified by Order 66. Did they remember the Jedi afterward?

A/N: This is written in a rather specific poetic form, the villanelle. Probably the most famous modern example of the form is Dylan Thomas' Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night.

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[b]DISCLAIMER:[/b] Jedi, etc = property of Lucas. No money has changed hands, though it'd be nice. :p

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[i]For the Jedi[/i]

Mourn for the Jedi at the close of day;
See where the Temple stood a hollow shell -
Remember them and turn your face away,

And do in grief what we, the living, may,
For each who had no grave, no tolling bell;
Mourn for the Jedi at the close of day -

They had no time to plead, no time to pray;
The soldiers did their job and did it well.
Remember them and turn your face away:

Not one survived. What more is there to say
Of how a simple war became a hell?
Mourn for the Jedi at the close of day

Who fell in blood, who died there where they lay,
By nameless hands were buried where they fell.
Remember them and turn your face away;

Tell on their stories - keep the night at bay;
Tell your children what there is to tell.
Mourn the Jedi at the close of day:
Remember them and turn your face away.


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Feedback much appreciated, as always.

Nem :)

 

I usually don't read poems but this was lovely. I really liked the repeatition on turning the face away as if ashamed of this destruction.

Really well done. Bravo. Glad to see you back and writing.

 

Glad to see you again!


And do in grief what we, the living, may,
For each who had no grave, no tolling bell;
Mourn for the Jedi at the close of day -

Impressive--poems are difficult to write and this was very touching and mournful.

 

Tell on their stories - keep the night at bay;
Tell your children what there is to tell.
Mourn the Jedi at the close of day:
Remember them and turn your face away.

you did a lovely work here shows somebody remembers them, and for that, a small part of them lives

 

A very well written poem.

 

That was very sad, but well done

 

Wow! Beautiful! But that is no surprise to me when I see the author!

 

Beautiful beautiful work! Like Diane I don't usually care for poetry, but this one really intrigued me and the language was powerful! Well done!

 

I too am not usually a poetry lover but the title was intriguing enough to draw me in and I'm glad it did.

That was a beautiful work, so very touching. Great job!

 

a wonderful poem! you don't go on any longer then you need to, you get the point across rather well without making it too long and lessening it's impact!

 

Hello everybody! Happy Christmas or festival of your choice

diane I usually don't read poems but this was lovely. I'm gratified that you've read it on the strength of my name alone, then. I'm glad you liked it! I really liked the repetition on turning the face away as if ashamed of this destruction. In the villanelle form two refrains are required, and apparently finding two lines that will give a real purpose to the repeat is the hard bit. It's great that you think I managed it with one at least. Really well done. Bravo. Thanks!

Anakins_Force Hey there! Glad to see you again! Likewise - the Dare Challenge seems but a distant memory. Impressive--poems are difficult to write and this was very touching and mournful. It was hard to write, though I suppose no harder than some prose, but I think it turned out OK. I'm glad you found it touching.

michaellover you did a lovely work here shows somebody remembers them, and for that, a small part of them lives Yes. I hate to think of their being forgotten just like that - Order 66 couldn't have wiped away everything. Thanks for the 'lovely work'. Happy posting.

jacen200015 A very well written poem. Thankee kindly.

KELIA That was very sad, but well done Again, thanks very much.

VaderLVR Wow! Beautiful! I'm glad you liked it - thanks for reading! But that is no surprise to me when I see the author! Flatterer. Seriously, though ... thanks.

Layren Beautiful beautiful work! Thank you Like Diane I don't usually care for poetry, but this one really intrigued me and the language was powerful! Why don't people go for poetry? I'm honoured that you thought it worth a look, so I'm glad you liked it.

PadawanKayla I too am not usually a poetry lover but the title was intriguing enough to draw me in and I'm glad it did. The title took some agonizing. I did want to use a phrase from the poem, and in the end 'For the Jedi' seemed to work. I suppose it is a lament for them, so appropriate. That was a beautiful work, so very touching. Great job! Thanks for reading!

Healer_Leona Nicely done. I agree with Diane about how 'turn your face away' feel like shame for allowing the destruction to take place. I'm glad - again, I can't see someone like Bail Organa not feeling responsible for something like Order 66. Shame is involved. I could see this being an underground call during the beginnings of the Empire for those who knew the Jedi as heroes. And there must have been plenty of people who did - Palpy couldn't have brainwashed everybody. Thanks!

obi_webb a wonderful poem! Thanks you don't go on any longer then you need to, you get the point across rather well without making it too long and lessening it's impact! Credit goes to the form itself here - villanelle has to be six stanzas - but it's good that the form works well with the subject matter.

Thanks to everybody who replied. And again, Happy Holidays!

Nem