The Man With the Twisted Lip: Beacon

[vaysh]

Canon Story: The Man with the Twisted Lip
Title: Beacon
Author: vaysh
Words: 60
Rating: G
Author's Notes: The drabble references Watson's odd phrasing: Folk who were in grief came to my wife like birds to a light-house.


To Mary, they come like birds to the light-house – seeking shelter in the storm, a guiding light, a beacon in the rough sea of life.

To Holmes, they come like ravens to the gallows – seeking solutions to murderous conundrums and puzzles of the darker sort. He is a beacon, too, piercing through lies and disguises for the one possible truth.

Comments

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

What an excellent metaphor. Most Watsonian, too.

[vaysh]

I was testing quite a few metaphors for Holmes, and I am still not all satisfied with this one. Thank you!

[thesmallhobbit.livejournal.com]

I like your description of Mary and the comparison with Holmes is excellent.

[vaysh]

Thank you! :)

[debriswoman]

Very nice:-)
Great images:-)

[vaysh]

Thank you! ♥

[scfrankles.livejournal.com]

As I've said before, I love how poetic your 60s are.

You're quite right - "birds to a light-house" is a bit odd. But your expansion of the metaphor is perfect. And "ravens to the gallows" is brilliant. It conjures up the darker side of life so well.

[vaysh]

Aw, thank you!
I am glad it was not only my non-native-speaker ear that found "birds to a light-house" odd. And I am thrilled you liked my take on these metaphers. :)

[dustbunny105.livejournal.com]

Excellent use of metaphor and imagery!

[vaysh]

Thank you! :)

[tardisjournal.livejournal.com]

Now that you mention it, I wasn't aware that birds were particularly attracted to light-houses, or to light in general. Perhaps Watson was trying to avoid the cliched "moth to a flame"?

At any rate, I love the imagery you've used for Holmes--very apt!

[vaysh]

I somehow doubt that birds flock to light-houses. ;) Perhaps to small islands where the light-houses are built upon. It is an odd metaphor, and yes, Watson could not have used the cliched "moth to a flame" because that would have rather defeated the purpose of what he wanted to express about Mary.

Thank you!