Disclaimer: This is a non-commercial work of fanfiction. Any recognizable characters or situations from Newsies belong to Disney and not to me.


A/N: Poetry doesn't seem to be a popular genre in this fandom, which is understandable given that it's canonically described as "sappy" (thanks for that, Jack :P), but sometimes you just gotta take a break from the prose and dabble in a little verse instead. I honestly don't know where this came from, and I'm not sure if there's actually an audience in the fandom that would read this, but here it is. I'm hoping to add future installments as inspiration allows, and want to try out other forms of poetry, too, so we'll just see what happens!

This first poem has a slightly-unusual rhyme scheme (ABCA), which isn't as pleasant-sounding or satisfying to read as the more commonly used AABB or ABAB, but I kind of like it, because I think it reflects the "organized chaos" of the musical. The formatting on this site doesn't allow me to put the stanza breaks where I'd like them, so I had to use section breaks and periods as place-holders instead. It's kind of awkward-looking, but c'est la vie.

If you do end up giving this a read, please let me know what you think of it!


Wielding

I.

He deals in words - words, everyday:

He sells them, spins them, lets them work.

They call, they charm, and they cajole

As he employs them for his pay.

.

But when it's night and he's alone

The words are left forgotten. Then

His mind crafts visions, dreams instead

Of sky and air, of comfort, home.


II.

His words are calculating, cold.

He boasts and baits and blackmails too,

Does all he can to leverage

How many words are bought and sold.

.

But though he's built an empire strong

And lucrative, with power and reach,

At night he lies awake sometimes,

And wonders where it's all gone wrong.


III.

He's gripped by words and grasps them, too,

Sometimes master, sometimes not.

His hold on them is tenuous

And his successes small and few.

.

But he persists. With words unfurled

He pushes through the silence, fear.

He raises up a rallying cry,

And when he does, he shakes The World.


IV.

She chooses words with willful care,

Crafting, shaping, calling out

With bold intention and design,

As all her fervor comes to bear.

.

And when she's done and types the last

Of many words, she vows to keep

On writing 'till it's all made right,

And wrongs have faded to the past.