RobertLipman
This work is my second in a series of narrative poems closely based upon the short stories of O. Henry, master of the surprise ending. O. Henry's wonderful short story entitled "The Last Leaf" is the inspiration for this derivative narrative poem. For those of you who are familiar with this short story, you will note upon reading my poem that I have, as with all my derivatives, converted the prose to poetic form with attention in great detail to "The Last Leaf."
The poem focuses on two artists eking out a living in Manhattan's Greenwich Village at the turn of the Twentieth Century. Pneumonia scourges this artist colony, and frail Johnsy, one of the two artists, is severely stricken to the point that her very life is threatened. Sue's prayers for her roommate are now not really so much a concern for Johnsy's goal of painting the Bay of Naples one day; now Sue's hope is that Johnsy will survive! The doctor offers a depressing diagnosis: "One chance in ten..."
The only other character in this narrative poem is Johnsy and Sue's downstair's neighbor, a gruff old coot, who has dreamed for far too many years of painting his masterpiece, just like all rather poor, aspiring artists do. Sue visits Mr. Behrman in his downstairs flat, requesting he model for her for an advertisement piece she is painting. It is then that she informs her neighbor of Johnsy's plight.
Quite suddenly, the lives of these four New York City individuals become entwined with death at the doorstep. Read the drama, and as it unfolds, concentrate on what you think might be the surprise ending that awaits you.