My new book “The Fantastic Fables of Aesop” was just released! I began this project more than 18 months ago as a high school graduation gift for my daughter Mira. I took 30 well-known Aesop fables and turned them into rhyming poems for children and adults. I worked with a wonderful illustrator from San Diego named Jamie Nicole Jones. I will be posting about the book over the next two weeks. Feel free to order a copy through Amazon. You can order the book here: https://a.co/d/3ca7BoY
Here is my latest poem in Lyric poetry magazine. This one appears in the Summer 2021 issue. Hope you like it.
Song of the Plague Stone
By Robert Crisell
Put a penny on the plague stone,
I’ll leave some bread for you.
Put a penny on the plague stone,
I’ll bring some barley, too.
Your parents never cared for me,
But now they rest beneath a tree.
Put a penny on the plague stone,
In summertime we’ll wed.
Place your sins upon the plague stone,
I’ll say a prayer for you.
Place your sins upon the plague stone,
And pray for my soul, too.
Our trespasses were mild and sweet,
But bitter is our love’s defeat.
Place your sins upon the plague stone,
A reckoning is due.
Shed your tears upon the plague stone,
And I’ll leave mine for you.
Shed your tears upon the plague stone
With rosemary and rue.
Our days grow dark, our lives are stale,
But bright light shines beyond the vale.
Shed your tears upon the plague stone,
May death our love renew.
Shakespeare in the Vines, led by artistic director Preston Helms and board member and actress Sarah Gibbon, have created a sock puppet version of four Shakespeare plays. The first one–an hour-long version of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream”– was released this week. I’m honored to be one of six voice actors who play multiple characters in the shows. In MND, I play Duke Theseus, Demetrius, and Bottom. I hope you like it. The shows are aimed at young people ages 8 to 18, but I think everyone will find something to enjoy!
