Friday, June 19, 2015

'Cold as winter even in summer'

                                                   Attribution: US Federal Govt
Image: Mug-shot of Robert Stroud (1920)  (here)

                                                                             Attribution: US Dept of Justice
Image: Mug-shot of Robert Stroud (1951) (here)

Note: 1 Robert Stroud (1890  - 1963) Jailed at 19
in 1909 and was never released. Died in jail at age 73

Note: 2 He was variously described as:
of superior intellect, and became a first-rate
ornithologist and author despite a major part
of his life in solitary confinement.
Became the subject of a 1955 book by
T E. Gaddis Birdman of Alcatraz which 
was later adapted for film of the same
name with Burt Lancaster as Stroud  -  Wiki

Note: 3  Alcatraz had been cited as
one of the most haunted in America.
Mark Twain said after visiting it, as
'being as cold as winter, even in 
the summer months'  -  Wiki

The given 8 of 10 words:
winter letters chill coat 
ghost dusk young wet

'Cold as winter even in summer'
Commentary from a man of letters
Can never be better expressed

Sends a chill under the coat to
be told of ghostly endeavors behind
closed doors of prison cells

Dusk need not be awaited
Even a young wet behind the ears
can well comprehend the eerie
feel of one in solitary confinement

Yet for all the wrongs
Stroud was hailed as an authority
on birds despite the life of deprivation

Was accorded scarce resources
but scraped through meager funds
from sale of his canaries for
'his scientific studies'

With freedom curtailed
he lived and died
behind bars!

For Vinay's  Prompt Each Day -
Weekend Wordle #3

5 comments:

  1. i think he knows the pain of a cagaed bird than anyone of us

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  2. Can't imagine a whole life behind bars, especially much of it solitary

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  3. Never been there, but that sounds like a perfect description

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  4. I visited Alcatraz. They had sound recordings on tape. Quite scary at times. I also saw the film.

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  5. Fancy spending a life time behind bars?
    A wonderful yet sobering thoughful read Hank.
    Yvonne.

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