“AN ALPINE LOVE AFFAIRE” By Des Kelly

Another Valentine’s day has just been and gone.

For true lovers however, I feel that every day, should really be celebrated in the same way. This day is generally connected with Saint Valentine, but also, in a different context, to Film Actor Rudolph Valentino, famous, not only for his acting, but also for his love affairs (and the techniques, involved), plus his good looks.

Rudolph Valentino was reputed to be one of the most handsome men of his era. Unfortunately, this era was short-lived, as he died of Peritonitis at the age of 31. To this day, on the anniversary of his death on the 23rd August, each year, an unidentified woman dressed in black, places a single red rose at the tomb of Rudolph Valentino.

Getting back to “Valentine’s Day”, especially for the good readers of eLanka, please let me bring you another

“Story in Song”, entitled “An Alpine Love Affaire”, a film/doco

which I hope to make, before too long. It is a true love-story that happened many years ago. With all the trouble & strife that our World is going through, at the moment, another

Romeo & Juliet-style love story would not be too bad to get the equilibrium in order, so, if there are any interested film Directors/Producers around, they could get in touch with me via eLanka, of course, and let’s have a chat about it.

I have the background Music to it, and the “story” complete with the slight Shakespearean “touch”, follows.

“AN ALPINE LOVE-AFFAIRE”

In an Alpine Village fair, lived a maid, of beauty rare,

Golden tresses, eyes of blue, & they were of deepest hue,

Many lovers bold, had she, wooing her, on bended knee,

But she answered every swain, in the same light-hearted strain,

“Oh, no no”, she cried, “I’ll not wed with thee,

but, I’ll keep my heart, still, and fancy-free,

what care I for words, meaningless, to me,

the flowers and the birds, shall my lovers be”.

Yet, beneath those silent stars, one at last, her soul unbars,

She had loved him long ago, tho her lips had oft said “no”,

Yes, she loved him, and once more, she would try him, as of yore,

Give his love, one final test, ere she answered his request,

“If thy love be true, there, on fields of ice,

where the skies are blue, grows sweet Edelweiss,

bring, but one dear flower, thy reward shall be,

my whole heart and hand, alone, for thee.

From the cruel heights above, dying day, had brought her love,

In his hand, sweet Edelweiss, but his life was sacrificed,

“Take this flower”, he gently said, ere his dying spirit fled,

“Keep it love, in memory, of the man who died for thee”

“Oh, my love”, she cried, “thou wast slain for me,

would that I had died, in thy stead, for thee,

Oh, my breaking heart, soon shall be at rest,

Never more to part, from one whom I loved best.