The Umbrella

[Jimmy O'Connell]

The Umbrella.

He never played soccer with us
when we took on the Ardbeg boys
on the roundabout; nor even
when we played under the street lights
in late chilled autumn evenings, nor
did he chase-the-kiss around the

cul-de-sac (his sister was my target);
I doubt he held a hurley in his hand
when we used them to play cricket against
the chalked wickets on the lamp post. But one
day he brought out his mother’s umbrella
and thralled my friends to walk under it to

the shops – leaving me isolated
and stunned that they didn’t even
notice my hurt. But somehow I
allowed him his one victory
over us after all the times
we called him sissy; and, after

all, we did go to the same school
together, and I did tell him
how much I liked his sister.

[mat james]

It sounds like this is the moment you became humane, Jimmy.
I bet that sensitive boy taught you much about yourself that you only realised "later'.

Great read!
Matj

[Joney]

I really like this Jimmy, very nice indeed. I love umbrellas and not just because they keep the rain off but the intimacy when shared. Very nice.

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Thanks Matj and Joney...

The umbrella is a metaphor for exclusion and well as warm fuzzy inclusion... I'm not sure about the humanity, Matj... his sister was some looker!!!!!

Jimmy

[Joney]

his sister was some looker!!!!!

Then I bet he was too!

Whether metaphore or actual, umbrellas are great.

[Manna]

thralled? do you mean enthralled? Or perhaps thrilled? I didn't know the word thrall, so I looked it up. I don't know what it means in this context. Thrall is the state of being under someone else's power. A slave is in thrall to his owner.

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Yes, Manna, I mean enthralled. But instead of the line reading:

and enthralled my friends to walk under it...
I have
and thralled my friends to walk under it...

I felt "thralled" was stronger because it is unusual; and it's the central word in the poem, so it needed emphasis. I wanted the reader to be "pulled up" as he/she read this line. The central feeling for me was the power this guy had over us, the gang. Despite all the times we slagged him/shunned him, he had the wherewithal to find a way to "enslave" "enthrall" us, to have power over us, and especially me. He deliberately excluded me, by "thralling" my pals.

[Christine]

Hi Jimmy, your poem took me back to my childhood days when we all (boys and girls) played outside until it was dark (and beyond when we could get away with it). Until the inevitable call from our mothers bringing us home. And of course to those one or two people who were always on the outside, for whom victories were indeed rare. These were the child lives we led then....

I was thinking about your use of thrall and it seemed to me like the absolute right word to use. Your friends didn't have a choice, they had to go. They weren't simply entralled which is so much lighter and less effective. In keeping with this, perhaps you didn't really allow him his victory but rather were powerless to stop it. Anyway, I'm glad he had his moment.

Like Matj said, great read!

[Jimmy O'Connell]

perhaps you didn't really allow him his victory but rather were powerless to stop it. Anyway, I'm glad he had his moment.

(I don't know how to do the quote bit in these threads... I need some 10 year old to show me!!)

I'm, in a way, from the standpoint of the adult, glad that he had his moment... guys like him need it and probably deserve it. As a ten year old, or whatever age I was, I had no choice but to allow my friends to go with him under the bloody umbrella!!! That was what galled me. Plus, I too was enthralled... by his sister....!!!!!!!!! A real Cailin (Colleen)... as I said... what a beauty she was... Maybe the whole thing was a conspiracy!!!!! Maybe the two of them got their revenge!!!

I have a companion piece which I will post soon......

[mat james]

(I don't know how to do the quote bit in these threads... I need some 10 year old to show me!!)

I do Jimmy

Maybe I can assist.
When reading a thread and finding a piece you would like to quote and comment on:::
1)" left click the mouse" and hold it down while you drag over the words you wish to quote, then take your finger off the left click
2) " right clikc" the mouse and choose "copy" with your "left click"
3) move to (open up) your "post a reply" page on the forum where you wish to make a copy of this "quote"
4)" right click" and "paste" it on the page.

5) repeat step one above , but on this pasted quote at the new location right in front of you
6)go to the top of this section of the page and press the little box that says "Quote". and presto....there it is all "quoted"

7)place the cursor at the end of the quote; now click your left click again .
press "enter" on your keyboard and away you go, type/word process as per usual.

If that fails, like you said, ask a 10 year old!

Matj

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Much appreciated, Matj....

You'll see me quoting to bait the band!!

Jimmy

[Jimmy O'Connell]

[quoteMaybe I can assist.
When reading a thread and finding a piece you would like to quote and comment on:::
1)" left click the mouse" and hold it down while you drag over the words you wish to quote, then take your finger off the left click
2) " right clikc" the mouse and choose "copy" with your "left click"
3) move to (open up) your "post a reply" page on the forum where you wish to make a copy of this "quote"
4)" right click" and "paste" it on the page.

5) repeat step one above , but on this pasted quote at the new location right in front of you
6)go to the top of this section of the page and press the little box that says "Quote". and presto....there it is all "quoted"

7)place the cursor at the end of the quote; now click your left click again .
press "enter" on your keyboard and away you go, type/word process as per usual.
][/quote]

I think I did It!!!!!!!!!!

[Jimmy O'Connell]

Maybe I can assist.
When reading a thread and finding a piece you would like to quote and comment on:::
1)" left click the mouse" and hold it down while you drag over the words you wish to quote, then take your finger off the left click
2) " right clikc" the mouse and choose "copy" with your "left click"
3) move to (open up) your "post a reply" page on the forum where you wish to make a copy of this "quote"
4)" right click" and "paste" it on the page.

5) repeat step one above , but on this pasted quote at the new location right in front of you
6)go to the top of this section of the page and press the little box that says "Quote". and presto....there it is all "quoted"

7)place the cursor at the end of the quote; now click your left click again .
press "enter" on your keyboard and away you go, type/word process as per usual.

Got this time... the second round fooled me..
Amazing all ya havta do lads is follow the instructions!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Wow I feel 10 yeasr old again!!!!

[mat james]

Great stuff Jimmy!

[Joney]

Jimmy, I don't know if you are familiar with the Rhianna song "Under my umbrella". I like it, you can watch it on you tube if your interested.

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=a4X7eFbP3u4

Anyway, I thought you might be interested and as I said I am an umbrella fan.