Author's Note: This is a free-verse poem about Eponine climbing the barricade, being shot, and dying in Marius's arms. It's written in the second-person (pronoun you). Entirely musical-based (I tried to read the book once, and barely got through the second page. In my defense, I was nine.) I'm sorry if I got anything wrong. I've only seen the PBS 25th-anniversary "In Concert" version with a stinking Jonas Brother as Marius. That boy cannot sing. So anyway, feel free to point out mistakes!
Oh yeah, I don't own Les Miserables in any way, shape, or form. I do sing it constantly, if that counts.
climb.
climb.
one hand over the other.
fingers scrabble at the hard surface,
searching for handholds.
they'll shoot you if they see you
it helps that the night is dark.
keep climbing.
for him.
for Marius.
for your love.
you've run your errand,
you've delivered his letter,
now you have to see him.
Marius.
it crosses your mind that it might be the last time.
life has not been kind to you.
you're a street rat,
an urchin in the alleyways.
now you're scurrying up the barricade like the rat you are.
nobody ever helped you,
and you never helped anyone.
Until Marius.
He was the first to be kind to you,
ever in your life,
and you love him for it.
but he does not love you,
and you cannot accept that.
all you can do is climb,
and hope that you are not shot.
dear god you hope you are not shot.
the letter.
Cosette has the letter.
the girl you treated as dirt,
when you were young, at your parents' inn,
she's now the focus of all Marius's attention.
he has no time for you,
but all your time is devoted to him.
somehow you think time is running short.
stop thinking.
keep climbing.
focus on your memory of his face,
his beautiful face.
that will keep you going.
the shout comes, as you knew it would,
"A BOY IS CLIMBING THE BARRICADE!"
you know you look like a boy,
you're too hungry to look any other way,
but must they yell it out?
perhaps Marius would have loved you, if you weren't so ugly.
perhaps.
you know the cat has been let out of the bag now.
you can hear bullets whizzing around you.
all you can think of is seeing his face one last time.
then pain comes in the form of a
small lead bullet.
it tears through your chest,
you can see the red-stained metal
embed itself in the wall you're climbing.
the pain is worse than anything you've ever imagined.
the shock of it,
the sight and smell of your red blood
you're about to let go of the cursed barricade
and fall into the hellish crowd below,
when his face comes into view.
Marius.
Marius helps you over the lip of the barricade.
he looks utterly terrified,
and you want to laugh.
you're going to die.
you know that.
your love is talking to you,
you're talking to him,
perhaps you should listen?
but it's so hard to focus.
then you are on the ground.
suddenly you are where you've always wanted to be.
he has you safely,
cradled in his embrace.
you haven't ever felt safe before.
he murmurs in your ear,
things you've always wanted to hear.
your blood is staining his white shirt,
and his hot tears are dampening your face,
like a little fall of rain.
he cared enough to cry over you.
you're so close to him,
you can hear his heart beating,
as your heart slows.
he's there.
that's all you need to know.
and he will keep you safe,
and he will keep you close.
you'll sleep in his embrace at last.
Author's Note: Yeah, I had to use the song lyrics at the end. I hope I did a good job portraying Eponine. She and Gavroche are my first and second favorite characters in Les Miserables.
If anyone wants me to, I'll post a short non-poem one-shot about Eponine climbing the barricade.
Review please!