Here's another poem about Fred, this time from Percy's perspective. It's so moving the way he clings to Fred after he dies, having only reconciled with him and the rest of the family moments before in one of the most deeply satisfying scenes in the book, and one that caught me quite off-guard. While Percy doesn't seem to have been particularly close to any of his siblings, the antagonism between him and the twins seems to run especially deep, and maybe the extent of their opposition is heightened just a tad with Fred, who tends to cast the most aspersions on his character after his estrangement and is the one to offer Percy a string of colorful insights to apply to himself. By the same token, however, Fred is the first to acknowledge the attempt to make amends, and the fact that they wind up fighting side by side seems indicative of a bond fully renewed and probably deeper than ever. What a shame it was so short-lived...
The Fool
He said, "You're joking, Perce!"
It almost made it worse
That Fred and I connected just before he breathed his last,
When fresh cascades of grief
Threw into stark relief
The costly price I paid for the pretension of my past.
Just where did it begin?
It hardly seemed a sin,
Aspiring to perfection, to pursuits austere and grand.
I had the skill to thrive,
But, blinded by my drive,
I let my ostentation get a little out of hand.
Did I know what I had:
A loving mum, a dad
Whose decency ran deeper than promotions and awards,
Six siblings full of wit?
Fred sometimes was a git,
But were his pranks enough to merit cutting family cords?
The twins, the last I knew,
Were troublesome times two.
I never got to watch as they transitioned into men.
Could I apologize?
I gazed into Fred's eyes,
Aware he couldn't see me and would never see again.
I shielded him with care,
My body like a prayer,
A rigid testimony to the depth of my remorse.
I wished I could go back
Before the world turned black
And maybe in so doing make his destiny change course.
As should haves and did nots
Flowed freely through my thoughts,
My reverie was broken, and I heaved him through the school,
And Mum was deeply pained
To learn that though she'd gained
One son, she'd lost another. Fred, your brother was a fool.
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4 comments:
You're on a roll, Erin. This one is wonderful too. I think you've captured Percy's voice very well!
I actually read this early this morning, but didn't have time to comment. I wanted to come back and read it again.
I was very happy that Percy reconciled with his family, though it felt so fast, and Fred's subsequent death charged it with terrible bittersweetness. Think how wonderful the Weasley family feast might have been at the end if they had all finally been there together, as we so hoped they would be.
I had hoped Percy would come back but hadn't counted on it...I know a lot of people found him such an awful prat in the earlier books that they didn't much care if he came back or not. But there was a part of me that empathized with Percy's weaknesses, and an even bigger part of me that didn't think anyone raised a Weasley could really sell out in the end to the wrong side. So glad he found his way home.
If there's a Fred in the next generation, here's betting he's a son of Percy's.
P.S. We're heading out to the movies -- first time we've been able to go to the theater as a family in a long while. The local little theater in town has Ratatouille!
Am hoping I'll have time tonight to catch up with your other posts and maybe post a bit more myself. I've been swamped the past couple of days and not feeling well...but loving the conversation!
Oooh, hope you loved Ratatouille! Seems hard to go wrong with Pixar. That one is high on my list...
I'll admit I'd almost forgotten about Percy in the heat of it all, so when he stepped out of that painting it was a really nice surprise. When we saw him with Arthur in the elevator, I was wondering to myself if we'd be seeing any kind of reconciliation, and if we didn't if we were supposed to assume a permanent estrangement or if we could guess they made up eventually. I'm so glad we saw it. So moving, but then so sad... And yes, what a feast that would have been!
Mmm, I like the idea of Percy naming a son after Fred. A permanent mark of their having made up, and of the fact that Fred spent his last moments fighting by Percy's side...
I've always liked Percy. I know he can be an insufferable prat, but I've just always held out hope that he'd be true to his upbringing and to his school house, and think more with his heart than his head for a change. I wasn't expecting it, but I sure was hoping for it. I'm glad Rowling gave us that moment, brief and ultimately grief-tinged as it was.
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