An East Quebec Account (In Its Entirety - Parts 1-7) Poem by D.N. Rebb

An East Quebec Account (In Its Entirety - Parts 1-7)

Rating: 5.0


PART 1 - THE HOSPITAL ROOM
The room, consumed in mournful silence
Labored breathing echoes between the concrete walls
Out in the lobby, plenty of action, in here it feels timeless
Like busy ants, the nurses keep shuffling around in the hall

Simon gently grips one hand as closure approaches
Like a spigot in need of a replenished washer
Tearful eyes idly leak down both cheeks in doses
An unbearable pain centered for his father

Plans of their yearly canoeing excursion, now aborted
In front of him, an unrecognizable frail man
Taught him everything he knows, genuinely bighearted
Every outing scripted a strategically detailed plan

All ecstatic books will eventually have an ending
Hence, Simon's dad's last chapter distinctly approaches
A chill feeling in the space the young man is sensing
Attempting to gather all his scattered emotions

As he sits on the edge of the narrow bed
A last squeeze of his hand to acknowledge farewell
Simon leans closer to his father's forehead
A delicate departing kiss renders so well

As enduring eyes open and look deeply into Simon's
"Still go" are his last whispered sentiments
Then everything gets sublimely silent
Eternal peace deprives him from our elements

PART 2 - THE BRASSERIE
Honoring his dad's sketched maps to track
The canoe carefully strapped to his rental car
And the weeklong supplies tossed in the back
His first time alone walking through that hotel door

Simon checks into the Gouverneur, as a final comfort stay
Then heads down to the brasserie for a well-deserved beer
Simple pub food and draught, the mere menu displays
Such a comfortable relaxing atmosphere

Quietly toasting Dad in remembrance, while watching a ball game
The waitress brings over a second brew previously ordered
Certain sadness surrounds this fellow she proclaims
"My name is Johanna, let me know if there's anything else I could get ya"

Simon was struck by her beauty
Expressive eyes ever so blue
A mischievous smile to question ones legal duty
Just an extraordinary splendid view

With a sexy confident swagger
And a sweet trailing scent, ever so pleasant
Like a runway super model expressing glamour
Dad, stop winking up there in heaven

Before he knows it, she's sitting in the booth
And they immediately start talking
Exchanging all their rational truths
Shares with her his forthcoming epic plotting

And he tells her of the recent passing of his dad
She states it's her last day at this brasserie
Got bored, answered a wanted ad
And is heading to the Ile d'Orleans working for a winery

Chatting like a synchronous clock
Both now savoring another beverage
Music emanating from an old school jukebox
Popular artists with similar musical preferences

Bestow that consenting code
Her hand upon his upper leg
A fixture waiting to explode
Inches from his, eyes cunningly beg

Things are heating up, folks
And ultimately, there it is
Gestures midst private talks
Answers to that interactive quiz

Like a confident athlete ready to score
He asks if she would like to come to his room
Smiling, she grabs a bottle of rum from the bar
And snatches his hand to steer him on

PART 3 - THE HOTEL ROOM
With the lights remaining off
Tongues exploring each other's mouths
Infectious glory, they can't get enough
Yet hardly aware of past interval truths

Toilsome breathing is all that is submitted
Four hands blindly groping in darkness
Any effective application is permitted
There is no denial of his hardness

Little by little, clothes tumble to the floor
Caresses of breasts, fondling of buttocks
In pursuit of intimate pleasured cores
Concrete experience sampling at work

Simultaneous gasps as penetration is aspired
Seasoned flamenco dancers in syncing rhythm
An unscripted discovery well paired
Sexual tension mutually ridden

With a collaborated climax to complete this liaison
They remain in each other's arms for some time
Drained of all stamina to go on
Smiling for their youthful prime

Drenched in sweat and ousted nectar
She reaches for that bottle of golden rum
And takes a swig of its pleasure
Contriving of a new outcome

With her mouth still full, she kisses him
The liquor tenderly fills his mouth
Prepare for a second prelim
This night has not yet gone south

Immediately, he's aroused once again
Both orifices find new body parts to examine
With no expanses from which to abstain
Eventually both reach perpetual famine

Applaud to an encore performance
Exhausted, they both fall asleep
As it's not long till the arrival of morning
How will they handle morrow's reality?

PART 4 - THE SAGUENAY RIVER
Canoe ‘n gear, dropped at the edge of the water
Rental car, arranged downstream to reclaim in a few days
Still tired from last night's romantic tryst to register
Leaving his mid-section happily ablaze

With an abandoned smile upon Simon's face
Johanna grabbed a bus heading to her new employer
Just after the world's longest embrace
Numbers were exchanged for a possible future

How would Dad have felt if she was his successor?
Humbly, Simon regretfully never asked
A need to prove he could be a sole peddler
A journey upon his buoyant raft

Being very familiar with this mighty river
Knowing of all the best sites to camp
Follow Dad's detailed maps to be quicker
No time like the present to revamp

Like a slow waltz, the wooden canoe lilts through the water
An isolated heart can't recite tranquility
A need to be encountered first hand in honor
Independence is no basis for lonely nobility

Simon takes pictures as he progresses on
A job that was entirely his dad's before
Albums filled with memorable photographs there upon
As the east wind intervenes with the path of the river's chore

Simon only wishes he was not alone
Lasting moments demanding to be shared
First stop according to dad's map, the Riviere-Eternite zone
Stop to eat, pee and wash up, as he would have declared

No stopping till sundown; leave time to set up camp
Early dusk comes involuntarily fast
So be quick to light that flickering hurricane lamp
As the familiar tent is up in the dark at last

A small fire to keep safe and warm
No time left to fish; canned soup will have to do
Tomorrow, another day assigned to brainstorm
Midst the extensive panoramic mountain views

The River, locally shared with a few playful seals
In the distance, the distinct songs from the minke whales
This time, adequate time to prepare for the night's meal
Angling for one's dinner, brings out natural tall tales

Four successful reels in, the distinct scent of the outdoor fire
While distracted with pleasant reminiscences of Johanna,
Simon's refuge is intruded by a bandit occupier
His fish, stolen from a cheeky raccoon lacking manners

Angry, Simon throws a frying pan at the famished creature
So, another scanty canned meal to slowly braise
And Dad, stop laughing at this failed feature
Moral redemption within the remaining days

PART 5 - THE STE-ETIENNE BEACH
As the trip progresses, Simon keeps improving
Always missing his dad, though mentally never far away
From beyond, his father's always impartially approving
At the Auberge Au Deux Pignons Hotel, the rental awaits

Near the infamous beach of Ste Etienne
At long last, a hot shower to wash away raw nature
Midst his downpour, life's purposes now clearly seeing
"I did it, Dad. Missed having you there. The trip would have been greater"

He thought about Johanna often
Would Dad approve an alternate?
Simon needed to see her again pre- autumn
But first to enjoy a hike along the Fjord Region Strait

Here, beluga whales have been known to be spotted
The notorious St Lawrence appointed guardians
Simon's future becomes the change of topic
Tomorrow a need to find that winery in Ile d'Orleans

PART 6 - THE WINERY
Bordering rustic landscape of the St Lawrence River
Is home of the Ste. Petronille vineyard
Nestled within the Laurentian Mountains like a secure caregiver
Follow the Montmorency Falls windward

Wine making in the traditional Nordic style
An inviting sign, posted on the estate's entrance
‘The A&J Lavigne Family Welcomes You With A Smile'
From our romantic knight escalates an anxious glance

An enduring journey to the main council house
A path lined by thousands of unharvested vines
How gypsy caterpillars into butterflies ultimately sprout
These grapes, too, ache to reshape into future dry wine

A welcoming breeze greets our handsome beau
A tasting room, cooled for personal comfort
A sample of their goods to offered guests is shown
Smiling sommeliers greet the visitors in numbers

Sharing their expertise in hope of a possible sale
An almost comic robotic crusade to spectate
Simon's heart skips a beat and forgets to exhale
In the back, Johanna is pouring a rosé so delicately

He loves seeing her warm pleasant smile again
It radiates spontaneous symmetry within the entire room
Nonchalantly he softly mutters "Johanna? "
And awaits for her wholehearted embrace to bloom

"Simon? ! " Her cheerfulness drains from her face
And in a panic voice stipulates "Please, follow me"
The damp cellar filled with wooden barrels of wine encased
Like ready recruits in idle waiting, unable to flee

"I don't know why I told you where I was heading
I don't even know why I gave you my number
I'm sorry, I've lied to you", she explains with a face so redden
"What we had that night was a mind blowing blunder

But I was confused, I now admit
I didn't simply work at that brasserie
I actually downright own it
Along with this winery

A biz of my husband, Andre
Forgive me, please, I misjudged
I meant no harm that day
I love Andre very much

Just at times, he works too hard
And I, shamefully, get so bored
You, however, are an unforgettable scorecard"
What humiliation Simon is grappling toward?

Feeling a crying stir
But too angry to react to this revelation
He actually feels like slapping her
Never any mentoring for such an action

Perhaps a vengeful axe to all these round casks
Such vindictive measures, not really a part of him
Simply leaving becomes such an impossible task
As he feels cowardly doing so, without some stance on a whim

His confused feelings he now needs to disallow
He can no longer look into her eyes of blue pastel
Has never had cause to feel hate, till now
So, he stands up and just simply says "Farewell"

PART 7 - THE BEAUPORT BAY
Simon rented a bike
Presently, a cool wind
Saturation from his exertional hike
The beach, a beauty of a find

Off the Baie de Beauport
Ice cream on a summer day
Enthusiastic Gulls chanting their reports
A place to tend ones emotional bruises away

Jayne had come here to do just that
Terry, her now former boyfriend of four years
Just dumped her last week, right out flat
Once there was talk of wedding cheers

But Terry had an insatiable appetite
He truly did love Jayne,
But also loved many others in site
Then Rebecca he attained

And was blindly love struck
Dumped poor Jayne like yesterday's garbage
She deserves better than this schmuck
Always kind hearted, though now a bit tarnished

With a gentle trait, which now dimly beams
She, too, rents a bike
And also adores an ice cream
Enjoying the boardwalk filled with lost people alike

Simon spotted her almost immediately
Is he possibly ready for this?
He looks at the seagulls to answer obediently
They were eagerly cheering him on with bliss

One gull overjoyed from being patiently friendly
Almost on cue, snatches Jayne's cone on a flyby
This was to be Simon's grand entry
Yet failing at a great opening line, he just says "Hi"

In his head, Dad mumbles, "Real smooth, Romeo"
"I think that same one grabbed my cone too, insane! "
With no reply from her, he intros with "I'm Simon"
Rudeness was never a part of her style and answers, "Jayne"

"Look, I'm not hoping for company.
You look like a nice guy
But I want to remain unaccompanied
Going on a canoe trip tomorrow morning; so, bye"

"You don't say! "
Simon sits beside her in the sand
And they talk for hours as the sun sets across the bay
Both observe the peaceful clouds at hand

One in the shape of a fist above the boundless sea
With the thumb up; thanks Dad, I agree

POET'S NOTES ABOUT THE POEM
Hope you made a sandwich and poured two beers before attempting to read this poetic novella. (one of my long ones)
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Jim McGill 07 February 2023

Excellent read.

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Richard Wlodarski 30 January 2023

I had just finished reading your poetic novella and had given you a glowing review. PH had posted my rating, but I can't seem to find my comments. Hoping that they find them and post them again!

1 0 Reply
Richard Wlodarski 30 January 2023

2) So, my friend, I would say that this is a magnum opus. And I'll be revisiting this masterpiece when I go camping again. Excellent job, Poet Rebb!

1 0 Reply
Richard Wlodarski 30 January 2023

No sandwich. No beer. Just my morning espresso and Elvis singing gospel songs. Shades of Kerouac, Bukowski, Cohen and Thomas Merton. And, of course, Thoreau.

1 0 Reply
Richard Wlodarski 19 December 2022

I will savour this one over the holidays with great food and beer. In the interim, I'll be reading some of your shorter ones. Merry Christmas, Poet Rebb!

1 0 Reply
D.N. Rebb 23 December 2022

Merry Christmas to you too.

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