Jehan's Poetry Book

Hi. My name is Jean Prouvaire, but please, call me Jehan. I'm a student--at least, I was, but that was some time ago. Over 150 years ago, in fact. You see, the last year I was in was 1832, and I was a student in Paris. I had a group of friends there, we called ourselves Les Amis de l'ABC. (That means the Friends of the ABC, with ABC prounounced in the French manner, ah-bay-say, which is also the pronunciation of the French word abaisse, which means abased. It's confusing in English, I know, but in French it all made perfect sense.) We were a revolutionary group, and in June of that year (1832, remember) we built a barricade and . . . well, the story's too long to tell here. But if you want to read it, be my guest.

 Jennifer has been very kind in giving me shelter here in the twentieth century (which, I must say, is a very strange-looking time), and she has also given me space on her page to work with. Unfortunately, she has also decided I need something to do with it, not only to fill it up but also to keep me busy. So she has authorized me to organize and post her fan fiction here. (That means I have to do it whether I want to or not.) She says that since I'm a poet, organizing her writings for her would be a good task for me. I'm still trying to figure that one out. Jennifer's logic confuses me sometimes.

 Like an artist's clay sculpture, this page is never completed and always changing. So feel free to send me comments, questions, contributions. Jennifer is letting me share one of her e-mail addresses with her, since she says she already has four addresses and doesn't feel like getting me my own. (After using the e-mail, I agree--e-mail is a marvelous invention, but it can get frustrating at times.) The address where I can be contacted is waysideflower@hotmail.com. Jennifer says that it relates to a phrase in a book she seems to read quite often called The Scarlet Pimpernel. I have been forced (yes, forced, I doubt that Jennifer could have been more persuasive had she been holding a gun to my head as I read) to read a few passages, and I must say I found them touching. I might grow to like it, if I can ever get past the pro-royalist, pro-English sentiments. Besides, waysideflower has a sort of poetic appeal. I approve. (And, looking at Jennifer's fan fiction collection, I can see I'm going to be learning a lot more about this Scarlet Pimpernel.)

 I have for you today the following:

 As Love Is Reborn contributed by Janet Mitchell - The Poetry Book has outside contributions!  Celebrations abound!  This story is based on the musical version of the story, and addresses the problem of (as the author has put it) "an unfortunate
incident with unforseen consequences..."

At First Sight - The first poetry in the poetry book. A Scarlet Pimpernel poem - when Percy first saw Marguerite. It helps if you've seen the 1982 movie, Jennifer says, but it's not necessary.

The Ballpoint Pimpernel - This is Jennifer's "cheesy epic in progress," as she has put it to me. It is, of course, based upon the Scarlet Pimpernel, but the story has been transferred to modern times and . . . well, things at this university are not what they seem to be. Quite interesting and rather strange. Now completed!
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6

BPII - Ack! The sequel is here, despite my most vehement protests! Well, partially here, anyway. What happens when the Ballpoint League joins up with the descendants of the old Amis de l'ABC . . . Unfinished.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3

Dementia contributed by Calista - WARNING: Do not read this unless you are willing to accept it as pure insanity and silliness. This came out of a late-night AOL Instant Messenger conversation, I am told, and thus is not entirely written in all sanity. Okay, it's crazy. And funny, in its own way.

A Drunkard's Prayer contributed by Loren - A Grantaire poem, very appropriate to him, I think. It talks a lot about forgetting, which is what I think he wanted to do. Ah, well . . .

the etext - A poem written on impulse, the first time that Jennifer read a book called Eldorado. The title is not capitalized for a reason. The reason is the poem was written at one in the morning and the whole poem is that way.

Flags contributed by Loren - About the flag over the barricade. Very well written. I like this one very much.

Heard No More - By all accounts I am witness to, this is the most evil, horrible, terrible thing Jennifer has yet to write. (For some reason, among her friends, all three of those words mean good.) All I can say is she was curled up into a little ball on the floor for about an hour after she wrote it. It has to do with a certain League member going to his execution . . . well, if you're brave enough, read.

The Humble Wayside Flower - Another epic, this time a narrative of the Scarlet Pimpernel novel by Sir Percy. Unfinished. Jennifer assures me she fully intends to finish it--someday.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

Into the Cosmic-Convergence Mobile! contributed by Calista - Both Jennifer and I are characters in this FICTIONAL tale. Please keep in mind, this is fiction. I do not live with both Calista and Jennifer--in fact, I believe if I did, I would surely go as insane as they are.

The Letter - Before you read, you need to know a couple of things:  one, that somehow and for some reason, Sir Andrew Ffoulkes has been captured by Chauvelin and is being held for intense questioning in a prison; two, this fanfic follows the premise that Chauvelin and Sir Andrew's sister Lucy are married (see When Terror Comes Full Circle, below); and three, this is totally random anguishing cheese with next to no plot behind it.  Thank you, and enjoy.

Masqueraded Love - Think of The Scarlet Pimpernel. Think of the chapter called "Richmond". Think of the scene on the terrace (in the garden). Now read the poem.

Memories contributed by Loren - A poem about the barricades. It's hard for me to read . . .

One Last Time - Percy's thoughts in prison, in the middle of Eldorado. Not much else to say, except that it's anguished and sad.

The Price You Might Pay - This is a little fiction crossing Les Miserables with this other thing Jennifer seems to like so much called the Scarlet Pimpernel. I think you'll enjoy it, even if you know one story and not the other. (This one was easy for me to do--Ponine Enjolras already had it up on her site, so I just linked to that instead of typing it all up again myself. I don't consider that cheating . . .)

Reclaiming the Jackal - Yet another crossover--Scarlet Pimpernel and A Tale of Two Cities . . . the "real story"; narrating the interconnected lives of Sydney Carton and Sir Percy Blakeney. Very much unfinished, and Jennifer says it will probably be a long time before it is finished, since it will be novel length at completion.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5

Regrets contributed by Loren - A Gavroche poem, about being too little and too big.

Sacrifices - Yet another fanfic of the Chauvelin-Lucy romance type, this one co-authored by Calista . . . Lucy is forced to make a terrible choice.  Again, this has no true plot behind it--totally random.  Jennifer seems to like random very much.

The Self-Hunted Man - This is a soliloquy, the thoughts of Armand St. Just in the middle of Eldorado, and it's pretty emotional. This link is to where it's been put up on the Violet Guild site, a roleplaying group Jennifer belongs to. You will see a note from "Lady Whitsfield" at the top of the page--don't be alarmed, that's just Jennifer.

The Sportsman - A biography of Lord Tony Dewhurst--actually, an autobiography, since it's written from his point of view. Unfinished.
Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4

Things You Would NEVER Hear the Pimpernel Say! contributed by Calista - As the title suggests, some things you would never hear characters from the Scarlet Pimpernel say. Originally seen on Calista's page, where you can also add your own to the list.

To Marie, Avec Amour - A Les Mis poem, sad and emotional. It's supposed to be written by me to my mistress Marie. (I don't even know anyone named Marie. Still, it's not too bad.)

When Others Rise - A short, purely Les Mis fiction. What happens at the Cafe Musain after the barricades fall?

When Terror Comes Full Circle - I highly recommend reading Sir Percy Hits Back first, but if you can't, here's the background; Chauvelin's daughter Fleurette is rescued by the Scarlet Pimpernel, and Chauvelin is let go after the Pimpernel had a chance to hand him over to his enemies and be done with him. What happens next? Read and find out. Includes a borrowed character from Calista. Now completed.
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7

 Feel free to send me your own fiction (in fact, I beg you, please send any if you have it), or just mail me to talk. I get kind of lonely here. I'll give you my address once more--waysideflower@hotmail.com. And please sign my guestbook! It's a nice way for me to see you visited. Au revoir!