Marmenoul

This poem was written when by Robert around age 16.

An old man speaks down by the sea

Of hopes in life that’s meant to be.

He thinks alone, yet speaks to me –

And so I listen patiently.

There speaks the fool, there thinks the wise

And without much thought I realize

That what he says cannot be true,

So I condemn – yet I dream too.

“I’ve traveled over all the seas

And I’ve seen most every land,

And to tell you, lad, it’s and evil world.

One that I can’t understand.

“But there’s an island far out at sea

That’s good, and pure and whole.

A place that’s heaven here on earth –

And those who’ve seen it call it Marmenoul –

    With cities of gold and

mountains pure green.

    sights that only a few have seen.

    Valleys with skin of a golden hue.

    Winds speaking softly their blessing

to you.

“My rustic face and grayish hair

Are blooded with this cursed air,

But inside my heart and within my soul

I’m living on in Marmenoul –

    with cities of gold and

mountains pure green.

    sights that only a few have seen.

    Valleys with skin a golden hue.

    Winds speaking softly their blessing to you

And someday when the tide is low

and the mist is in the air

I’ll raise my sails up to the sky

And head due south where it must lie

I’ll turn around for a last goodbye

then straight ahead my ship will fly

And through the mist there’ll raise up high

my island reaching toward the sky

I found it lad, you’ll hear me cry

And hear I’ll stay until I die

Old man thought good luck to you

But strange as it all seems

here is where your island lies

a promise land within your dreams

your search is all in vain old man

you’ll never reach your goal

yet everybody seeks a place

which we call Marmenoul

    with cities of gold and

mountains pure green.

    sights that only a few have seen.

    Valleys with skin a golden hue.

    Winds speaking softly their blessing to you