Video recall

As if I had a video in my brain,
some days we spent come sharply back.

On a beach not far from Cork, still kids,
we played at being Bedouins
on grass-topped dunes,
with beach-towels round our heads
and hurly sticks as guns.

An inlet split the beach in two.
To get back to the car
we had to wade a swelling tide.
Who carried me to safety? Was it you?

— Robert Melliard, Dec 20, 2008

About This Poem

About the Author

Region, Country: Asturias, Spain

Favorite Poets: Chaucer, Shakespeare, Du Bellay, Metaphysicals, Petrarch, Dante, Baudelaire, Lorca, Becquer, Coleridge

Critiques

themoonman

17 years 5 months ago

Robert...

It is good that you have pleasant memories to haunt you as well as the bad ones... this poem takes me back to childhood, playing guns with my own brother... Richard

Robert Melliard

17 years 5 months ago

Hi Richard

This is indeed a vivid, pleasant memory. There is only a touch of sadness at the end, because my brother carried me across the inlet (he was seven years older then me) but I didn't manage to help him through his depression. Perhaps that idea would only be evident if these poems were read as a series. Many thanks for reading and commenting. Best wishes, Robert.

themoonman

17 years 5 months ago

Robert...

I am amazed at times how alike families are... We lived in Virginia Beach for a while when I was a child... not far from the house was a very deep canal that had the greatest trees all around it, I was not supposed to go there. One day I had my younger sister(2 years) and my younger brother(by 5 years) and of course went to the canal... My brother was four, and he saw a duck in the water and walked into the water and disappeared in an instant, I jumped in and got him out... got in major trouble for going there... the reason I am telling you this is because that is the memory your poem caused me to remember... Richard

Robert Melliard

17 years 5 months ago

Thanks

Thanks for sharing the childhood memory, and I'm glad you managed to fish your brother out of the water. Children are experts at getting into dangerous situations... Best wishes, Robert.

orgami

17 years 5 months ago

fine sand poems

Bedoiuns are my favourites your poems are amazing I am glad you had taken your twenty year break from reading or writing as you qouted somewhere I have a Spanish freind and now spanish books on history and art history a most pleasant culture

Robert Melliard

17 years 5 months ago

Many thanks Orgami

for reacting to my late-in-life poetry. I'm glad I still have memories of childhood and youth to write about. I think your poems are very visual, so it's logical that you should enjoy 'Video Recall'. I hope you continue to explore Spanish culture. It's a little different to the rest of European art and literature. El Greco, Goya and Velazquez are all incredible painters, as I'm sure you have discovered. Then there are all the famous modern artists like Picasso or Dali. My favourite is Goya. He's like a Pre-Impressionist but painted long before the others. If you haven't read 'Don Quixote' (El Quijote), by Cervantes, I highly recommend it. It's funny but deep. Best wishes, Robert.

weirdelf

17 years 5 months ago

I love this poem,

beautifully written, emotionally strong and honest. Now I have to congratulate myself, I have felt some disagreement, even antagonism, over some comments you have left on others poetry. Which I don't challenge unless necessary, like our friendly discussion on Mr. Shanmugam'ss poem. Yet I didn't come in with guns drawn. If you want to talk about that antagonism, lets do it by PM or email, but I suspect not necessary, I respect you and kind of think the feeling might be returned. And allthough I am Australian, my family is from Kerry. cheers, Jess

Robert Melliard

17 years 5 months ago

Thanks Jess

No emails are necessary. My reference to donkeys was about the photo I posted to represent my stubbornness. I'm really glad you liked 'Video Recall'. I enjoy reading all your comments because they are honest and therefore not always positive. But truthfulness may encourage a little disagreement sometimes. By the way, I'm not from Ireland, but I went there on holiday as a child and now I love Irish music, literature and beer. I'm keen to go back there one day. Best Wishes, Robert.