Marley's Departure
(The full poem is written in iambic heptameter)
When it had said these words, it took its wrapper from its head
And bound his chin just as before. Scrooge looked away in dread.
The jaws were brought together by the bandage underneath
Scrooge knew this by the sound it made. The clicking of its teeth!
He looked again. The visitor was standing quite erect.
The chain was wound about his arm. It had a strange affect.
The Spirit walked out backwards, slowly beckoned Scrooge to look
Out of the window, down below his ghostly head he shook.
Scrooge, not in obedience but in surprise and fear -
Stood on the raising of the hand and suddenly could hear
Confused noises in the air; an incoherent sound
Of lamentation and regret and wailings all around.
Sorrow inexpressible and self-accusatory.
Marley knew the voices. He knew each and every story
The spectre joined the mournful dirge. He faded in the light.
And slowly floated out upon that bleak and dismal night.
What Scrooge beheld astonished him and filled him full of fear.
The air was filled with phantoms in the mist they were unclear.
But howling, crying, tortured, full of pain and in despair
Their lamentations echoed in the black and wintry air.
They were all linked together by the chains forged in their lives,
The husbands, mothers, sisters, daughters, fathers, brothers, wives.
Scrooge had known them when they lived. A particular old ghost
Was shackled to a monstrous iron safe and then the most
Wretched looking woman, a little child upon her knee
Sat there upon his doorstep in the utmost misery.
And it was clear they sought to interfere for human good.
Their misery was that they'd lost that power and never could
Redeem their selfish lives to save their souls and now their fate
Was to wander in this limbo. They'd recognised too late
The message Marley tried to give his misanthropic friend.
The spirit knew that Scrooge would come to this fate in the end.
Scrooge was amazed to see them in the dark night strangely float.
He tried to spit out 'Humbug' but the word stuck in his throat.
Scrooge could not understand if they had faded into mist,
Or mist enshrouded them because the sight did not persist.
Their spirit voices faded and they disappeared from sight
It all became as it had been when he'd walked home that night.
*****
The window closed. Scrooge carefully inspected his old door
Through which the ghost had entered. It was double locked for sure.
He'd locked it with his own hands and the bolts were undisturbed.
'Bah Humbug!' wouldn't come for he was feeling quite perturbed.
It could be from the strong emotions he had undergone
Or from the day's fatigues of the strange world he'd seen, now gone,
Or the dull conversation that old Marley'd put him through
Or from the lateness of the hour. He knew what he must do.
Exhausted he returned to bed. His thoughts were dark and deep.
Still fully clothed he instantly fell into troubled sleep.
