A million ancient scrolls
lost to hate’s rising tide.
What floods the island,
hurts the state,
and to ignore overflow,
desiccates the soul.
When you hear the bell
don’t dawdle in the shoals.
Dive in. Be someone’s savior.
Don’t ask for whom it tolls.
© 2022 | K.Hartless
dVerse Poet’s Pub|Quadrille#162 For Whom the Bell Tolls
44 Words to include “bell.” Join us.
Yard Sale of Thoughts 
Beautiful inspiring message, K! ❤ So relevant in today's troubled times.
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Thank you kindly, Tom. I remember reading Donne’s poem in school and it affecting me in a way I’ll always remember.
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I like your “Dive in” message. Do our part to help join together again. Donne is a good model.
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Love this my friend 🖤
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Thank you. 😀
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You’re so welcome 🖤
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Lovely poem.
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Thank you kindly, Arcadia.
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Nice one K.
Thanks for dropping by to read mine.
Much❤love
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Of course. I appreciate your comments, Gillena.
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I love the use of assonance to create the sound of a bell in the rhymes: scrolls, soul, bell, shoals and tolls, which punctuate the poem and give it pace. And I love the way you’ve included the Donne reference in the final line. Such a pity about the ancient scrolls.
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Thank you kindly, Kim. Donne’s poem is forever implanted in my brain, and so it was a challenge to try and continue that conversation.
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I thought of this poem, too, and you used the reference so effectively. A wonderful and timely message.
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Thank you. When I saw the prompt on my way home from work it reminded me of those times when warning bells go off but I don’t know what to do or how to react, but then perhaps the most important thing is to simply dive in.
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You’re welcome. That just made a movie in my head.
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The way of all flesh. But first, as you point out, we can still do a lot.
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Yes, I truly believe it to be so. If we can answer our own calls. Thank you, Jane.
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xx
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So many good lines in this and your message is clear.
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Thank you, Lisa. It was a wonderful prompt as it reminded me of this poem that has helped me to be a better person. 😀
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You’re very welcome, K ❤
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😁
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A wonderful poem and message, K. Or, should I say “another?” 🙂
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Yes, indeed. Thank you, Bill. I take little credit for it as it is Donne’s poem that has stuck with me for so many years. I was inspired to share the original with my CW club today. They seemed equally inspired to write their own bell imagery. Dinging the bell in victory now. 😀
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Great! 🙂
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Put in the context of Donne’s poem your poem just gets stronger… maybe being someone’s saviour is the only way to save oneself…
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What a thoughtful comment. Thank you, Björn. This definitely rings true with me.
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Wondrous!
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Thank you.😁
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Wonderful!
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Excellent write, K! Rings so true in these times.
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Thank you for these kind words. It felt good to remember this truth.
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