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Tallinn sestina - an emigration of the heart


dcmarti1

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The Embassy here in Washington just told me they put it on their Facebook page!

 

https://www.facebook.com/estemb.washington

 

 

Tallinn sestina - an emigration of the heart

 

O, how I wish that She was my city!

For seven hundred years another name

Graced the maps of earth, but there's no pity

Should be felt: for within the graceful frame

Of sea and of snow, my Tallinn, my own,

Did stand and shine, majestic yet alone.

 

But how can I claim that She is alone?

I have never travelled to the city

That I, one day, would like to call my own.

What right do I have to pronounce Her name

Of Kalevan or Reval? In what frame

Do I deserve to be shown Her pity?

 

For it is not love I seek but pity;

Yes, the kahju that my Tallinn alone

Can bestow upon my alien frame!

For some five thousand years has my city

Been both free and not free in Her great name:

She will bless those She knows to be Her own!

 

Denmark, Sweden, and Russia would not own

Her forever! The Heavens did pity

Her children, and did declare that Her name

Would defeat tyranny and war! Alone

In my heart and mind, Saint Victor's city,

Protect and keep us in Your holy frame!

 

I know She rises from a Baltic frame

Among states that were also not their own --

Dark days of atomic threat! No city

Other than Tallinn will I beg, "Pity!

For this one who is both lone and alone

Seeks shelter in Your History and Name."

 

Livonia, Hansa: whatever name

Of the larger land can only but frame

She who is in my heart and mind alone;

Like a poet who knows he does not own

What he creates, may this Tallinn pity

This stirring of words to Her, my city.

 

Let me live in Her name, Her very own!

Let Old Thomas frame Her sense of pity!

I'll come alone: embrace me, O, city!

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Terrific, Marti! I would call this a "publication" outside of the board. Don't hesitate to make a topic for it in the "Promotions" forum. Include a link to the poem you've posted here and to the page where the embassy published it. That way it can be found easily in the future.

 

Tony :-8)

Here is a link to an index of my works on this site: tonyv's Member Archive topic

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Tony: done.

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Wow Marti, This is a great poem, besides being one of the more difficult verse forms to capture in my opinion. Congratulations on being published. I've linked this to the Sestina page. Thanks for another wonderful example.

 

~~Tink

~~ © ~~ Poems by Judi Van Gorder ~~

For permission to use this work you can write to Tinker1111@icloud.com

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Truly, thanks, Tony, Tink, Badge, & Ben. OMG, did that sound yuppy? :)

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