Post by davidmm on Dec 21, 2007 12:15:44 GMT -8
The following is an experimental poem.
I hope it is as much fun to read as it was to write.
PART I
Journey
His sword was drenched in dragon's blood,
The creature died upon the field;
Beneath the burnished sun he stood
As gold reflected from his shield.
The gruesome dragon he had slain,
With one almighty, dreadful blow.
The knight had started his campaign
And knew how far he had to go.
The beast had guarded heavy gates
But now the way ahead was clear.
The knight cast fortune to the fates -
His brav'ry battled with his fear.
Along the forest path he rode
His plume a-dancing in the mist.
Fresh courage through his veins now flowed
And dread and doubt were both dismissed.
Then in a sunlit forest glade
He spied a tent with pennants proud.
He waved his mighty shining blade
And roared a challenge, clear and loud.
Astride a dashing dappled steed
An armoured knight made swift reply.
He galloped fast and gathered speed
And bellowed forth an angry cry.
With steady hand and cool panache
Our knight prepared to meet with fate.
He grasped his lance of solid ash
And sat up boldly, firm and straight.
And so there was an awesome clash
Of wood and hardened steel and bone.
One body toppled with a crash
Whilst one stayed mounted and alone.
Our hero knight looked down and sighed;
His beaten foe lay broken, still.
He felt no triumph, felt no pride;
At times he even cursed his skill.
With healing hands, the vanquished knight
Was soon made well and bent his knee.
He pledged henceforth to fight for right
And rode away right ruefully.
Yet still the quest was not complete,
Nor would it be for many a day.
Our hero knight rode on to meet
Whatever next stood in his way.
Down forest paths and river banks
He rode with pennant flying high.
At night he stopped and gave soft thanks
And counted stars up in the sky.
Full many days and many nights
He rode with ne'er a human sound.
He climbed the dizzy mountain heights
And slept each night on dew-flecked ground.
And then, at last, one twilit eve,
He looked down on the distant plain.
At first his eyes could not believe;
The sight spread like a darkened stain.
PART II
Arrival
The Evil Castle, dark and grim,
With countless bones all strewn around,
Was clearly seen though light was dim.
Our hero's heart began to pound.
The bones were those of gallant men
Who'd died without a cross or grave.
Our hero breathed a sad 'Amen'
For each of them, the strong and brave.
And so he rested for the night.
He knew the morning's sun would rise
And he would face a mighty fight
'Gainst demons in their thin disguise.
Full well he slept, full well and true
Beneath the sky all star bestrewn.
His bed was grass of em'rald hue,
His sentry was the watchful moon.
At dawn he rose, his strength restored.
His horse he tended with due care;
He honed his hefty, gleaming sword
And bade his enemies, "Beware!"
Our knight rode to the windswept plain
His pennant marked his swift advance.
The sun shone on his silver mail
And soft he held his quiv'ring lance.
He rode around the silent dead
Then closed his eyes and sighed a prayer.
Across the plain their bones were spread,
Their fleshless bones picked clean and bare.
The knight then made a silent vow,
A vow of vengeance there he made;
And anger crossed his peerless brow;
A fearful price would now be paid.
Up to the Evil Castle keep
He rode and there he stayed rock still.
It seemed the walls were hard asleep,
The air felt cold and damp and chill.
No creature stirred, no voice, no sound;
No challenge issued from within.
Strange silence echoed all around,
It was as black and stark as sin.
The knight rode to the oaken door.
Three times he hammered, then again,
And then he roared a fearsome roar,
A roar that echoed 'cross the plain.
"Come forth ye cowards! Come and fight!
I am but one against a host.
These wrongs you do, I will put right!
I speak the truth, this is no boast!"
The words thus spoke he turned away;
His challenge made, they would accept.
The battle would be fought that day;
He knew his promise must be kept.
Two hundred paces from the door
He stopped his horse, his lance at rest.
He waited but could not ignore
His heart a-flutter in his breast.
Part III
Battle
The giant door then opened wide
And twenty knights charged out in style.
Their fearlessness was not denied
As out they rode in single file.
The first knight charged with dash and verve
His plume a floating on the breeze.
Our hero sat with steady nerve
His horse held firmly with his knees.
His lance he gripped with solid hand,
His shield he held in firm defence.
He gave his steed a firm command
His body hard and strong and tense.
A splintered lance, a piercing yell
And metal clanged and fell apart.
Then to the ground one body fell
A fatal blow had struck its heart.
Our hero knight then turned his horse
His body felt in sweet repose.
The battle now must run its course
And so he faced his silent foes.
With scarce a warning, scarce a sound
Three further knights bore down in haste.
They quickly galloped o'er the ground
With lances set and firmly placed.
The first one fell and struck the soil
And dust erupted in a cloud,
His body twisted like a coil
His moans were pififul and loud.
Our knight then saw the other twain
And waved his sword around his head.
With two great strokes they both were slain,
And crimson was the stain that spread.
Already four of twenty dead,
And now the fighting lust burnt bright.
A battle cry of fearsome dread
Erupted from our hero knight.
Once more he galloped, brave and true,
His sword already coated red;
He stabbed and slashed with strength anew
As one by one they fell down dead.
Such savage butchery took place
Upon that eerie windswept plain.
It seemed by heaven's saving grace
That nothing living would remain.
In time the battle was curtailed.
When sword on sword no longer sparked,
And chivalry at last prevailed
With two opponents still unmarked.
They asked for quarter, begged for peace
And dropped their arms and fought no more.
Thus did the mighty battle cease
And silence ruled the plain's red floor.
The vanquished pair, their lives now spared,
Allegiance swore to our brave knight.
Their sorrow plainly they declared
And swore to bear their arms for right.
But still the Evil Castle stood
And still our knight had tasks undone.
He firmly knew and understood
What course was left for him to run.
Part IV
Castle
The beaten foes were comrades now
And each would follow by his side.
He made them take a knightly vow
That they would fight and help and guide.
They rode into that darkened place
And smelt the damp and hate and fear.
Our hero wondered what disgrace
Had filled that keep for year on year.
An inner gate was barred and locked,
And fastened with a heavy chain.
The comrade knights were puzzled, shocked;
They knew not why, nor could explain.
Then each in turn the chain they smote
Till finally it snapped and fell.
And with the foul air in his throat
Each rode on forward into Hell.
Then in the blinking of an eye
A hail of evil hissed and sped
And with a sad and piercing cry
A comrade knight fell swiftly dead.
Our hero's mighty shield held true
And forth he cantered through the storm.
Then as he passed on quickly through
He saw the strange, malignant form.
A dozen arms and one huge head
It filled the high and vaulted room;
Our hero stared with awe and dread
And all was silent as the tomb.
The last remaining comrade knight
Arrived at last and stared in awe;
And as he viewed that evil sight
He grasped his sword and set his jaw.
He uttered forth a bloody curse
And charged the creature straight and hard.
It took but moments to traverse
That gloomy, slimy covered yard.
His silv'ry sword flashed once, flashed twice
Before he cried a fearful scream.
He disappeared within a trice.
Our hero watched as in a dream.
The evil creature watched and stared
With eyes as cold and hard as ice.
It taunted, cajoled, sneered and dared
The knight to make his sacrifice.
Amidst the dark and gath'ring gloom
The creature was too hard to spy.
One flaming torch lit up the room
Our hero grasped it, held it high.
But as he did he glanced and spied
The evil monster back away.
It saw the flame and tried to hide
Among the shadows, black and grey.
The beast had risen up from Hell
But flame and fire could strike it dead.
Our hero armed himself full well
With sword and torch of flaming red.
He charged the monster fast and hard,
The torch he aimed straight at the eye.
The flailing arms he hacked and scarred
He had to fight and see it die.
So fierce the stab and cut and thrust
And loud the creature's scream and cry,
The knight knew that his fight was just
And soon the victory was nigh.
Part V
Victory
The beast at last lay dead and still
And silence filled the castle air.
No more was felt the evil chill;
Our hero sighed a gentle prayer.
His quest at last was near complete
And all his foes were vanquished, dead.
No enemies were left to beat
No nightmare was there left to dread.
The walls all echoed to his sound
As carefully he searched and sought,
Until at last he saw and found
The sight for which he'd killed and fought.
A hidden flight of rock-hewn stairs
He found behind a brass hinged door.
Once more he breathed his silent prayers
And felt his spirits rise and soar.
The dungeon smelt of damp and fear
His heart was pounding loud and strong.
For now the final act was near,
At last he'd right a sinful wrong.
One final door was bolted tight;
It opened with a mighty shove.
And then at last our hero knght
Beheld his long-lost lady love.
Her hair was red as copper beech;
Her eyes as blue as cornflow'rs wild;
Her cheeks as pink as any peach;
The earth stood still whene'er she smiled.
In just one stride he reached her side,
Her eyes were filled with shining tears.
At last he'd found his virgin bride,
The one he'd sought so many years.
He kissed her lips and touched her hand;
He looked up to the sky above.
Of all the damsels in the land
Once more he'd found his one true love.
And thus our tale is ended now;
Our lovers separation o'er.
So let us each now take a vow
Like them to love for ever more.
I hope it is as much fun to read as it was to write.
PART I
Journey
His sword was drenched in dragon's blood,
The creature died upon the field;
Beneath the burnished sun he stood
As gold reflected from his shield.
The gruesome dragon he had slain,
With one almighty, dreadful blow.
The knight had started his campaign
And knew how far he had to go.
The beast had guarded heavy gates
But now the way ahead was clear.
The knight cast fortune to the fates -
His brav'ry battled with his fear.
Along the forest path he rode
His plume a-dancing in the mist.
Fresh courage through his veins now flowed
And dread and doubt were both dismissed.
Then in a sunlit forest glade
He spied a tent with pennants proud.
He waved his mighty shining blade
And roared a challenge, clear and loud.
Astride a dashing dappled steed
An armoured knight made swift reply.
He galloped fast and gathered speed
And bellowed forth an angry cry.
With steady hand and cool panache
Our knight prepared to meet with fate.
He grasped his lance of solid ash
And sat up boldly, firm and straight.
And so there was an awesome clash
Of wood and hardened steel and bone.
One body toppled with a crash
Whilst one stayed mounted and alone.
Our hero knight looked down and sighed;
His beaten foe lay broken, still.
He felt no triumph, felt no pride;
At times he even cursed his skill.
With healing hands, the vanquished knight
Was soon made well and bent his knee.
He pledged henceforth to fight for right
And rode away right ruefully.
Yet still the quest was not complete,
Nor would it be for many a day.
Our hero knight rode on to meet
Whatever next stood in his way.
Down forest paths and river banks
He rode with pennant flying high.
At night he stopped and gave soft thanks
And counted stars up in the sky.
Full many days and many nights
He rode with ne'er a human sound.
He climbed the dizzy mountain heights
And slept each night on dew-flecked ground.
And then, at last, one twilit eve,
He looked down on the distant plain.
At first his eyes could not believe;
The sight spread like a darkened stain.
PART II
Arrival
The Evil Castle, dark and grim,
With countless bones all strewn around,
Was clearly seen though light was dim.
Our hero's heart began to pound.
The bones were those of gallant men
Who'd died without a cross or grave.
Our hero breathed a sad 'Amen'
For each of them, the strong and brave.
And so he rested for the night.
He knew the morning's sun would rise
And he would face a mighty fight
'Gainst demons in their thin disguise.
Full well he slept, full well and true
Beneath the sky all star bestrewn.
His bed was grass of em'rald hue,
His sentry was the watchful moon.
At dawn he rose, his strength restored.
His horse he tended with due care;
He honed his hefty, gleaming sword
And bade his enemies, "Beware!"
Our knight rode to the windswept plain
His pennant marked his swift advance.
The sun shone on his silver mail
And soft he held his quiv'ring lance.
He rode around the silent dead
Then closed his eyes and sighed a prayer.
Across the plain their bones were spread,
Their fleshless bones picked clean and bare.
The knight then made a silent vow,
A vow of vengeance there he made;
And anger crossed his peerless brow;
A fearful price would now be paid.
Up to the Evil Castle keep
He rode and there he stayed rock still.
It seemed the walls were hard asleep,
The air felt cold and damp and chill.
No creature stirred, no voice, no sound;
No challenge issued from within.
Strange silence echoed all around,
It was as black and stark as sin.
The knight rode to the oaken door.
Three times he hammered, then again,
And then he roared a fearsome roar,
A roar that echoed 'cross the plain.
"Come forth ye cowards! Come and fight!
I am but one against a host.
These wrongs you do, I will put right!
I speak the truth, this is no boast!"
The words thus spoke he turned away;
His challenge made, they would accept.
The battle would be fought that day;
He knew his promise must be kept.
Two hundred paces from the door
He stopped his horse, his lance at rest.
He waited but could not ignore
His heart a-flutter in his breast.
Part III
Battle
The giant door then opened wide
And twenty knights charged out in style.
Their fearlessness was not denied
As out they rode in single file.
The first knight charged with dash and verve
His plume a floating on the breeze.
Our hero sat with steady nerve
His horse held firmly with his knees.
His lance he gripped with solid hand,
His shield he held in firm defence.
He gave his steed a firm command
His body hard and strong and tense.
A splintered lance, a piercing yell
And metal clanged and fell apart.
Then to the ground one body fell
A fatal blow had struck its heart.
Our hero knight then turned his horse
His body felt in sweet repose.
The battle now must run its course
And so he faced his silent foes.
With scarce a warning, scarce a sound
Three further knights bore down in haste.
They quickly galloped o'er the ground
With lances set and firmly placed.
The first one fell and struck the soil
And dust erupted in a cloud,
His body twisted like a coil
His moans were pififul and loud.
Our knight then saw the other twain
And waved his sword around his head.
With two great strokes they both were slain,
And crimson was the stain that spread.
Already four of twenty dead,
And now the fighting lust burnt bright.
A battle cry of fearsome dread
Erupted from our hero knight.
Once more he galloped, brave and true,
His sword already coated red;
He stabbed and slashed with strength anew
As one by one they fell down dead.
Such savage butchery took place
Upon that eerie windswept plain.
It seemed by heaven's saving grace
That nothing living would remain.
In time the battle was curtailed.
When sword on sword no longer sparked,
And chivalry at last prevailed
With two opponents still unmarked.
They asked for quarter, begged for peace
And dropped their arms and fought no more.
Thus did the mighty battle cease
And silence ruled the plain's red floor.
The vanquished pair, their lives now spared,
Allegiance swore to our brave knight.
Their sorrow plainly they declared
And swore to bear their arms for right.
But still the Evil Castle stood
And still our knight had tasks undone.
He firmly knew and understood
What course was left for him to run.
Part IV
Castle
The beaten foes were comrades now
And each would follow by his side.
He made them take a knightly vow
That they would fight and help and guide.
They rode into that darkened place
And smelt the damp and hate and fear.
Our hero wondered what disgrace
Had filled that keep for year on year.
An inner gate was barred and locked,
And fastened with a heavy chain.
The comrade knights were puzzled, shocked;
They knew not why, nor could explain.
Then each in turn the chain they smote
Till finally it snapped and fell.
And with the foul air in his throat
Each rode on forward into Hell.
Then in the blinking of an eye
A hail of evil hissed and sped
And with a sad and piercing cry
A comrade knight fell swiftly dead.
Our hero's mighty shield held true
And forth he cantered through the storm.
Then as he passed on quickly through
He saw the strange, malignant form.
A dozen arms and one huge head
It filled the high and vaulted room;
Our hero stared with awe and dread
And all was silent as the tomb.
The last remaining comrade knight
Arrived at last and stared in awe;
And as he viewed that evil sight
He grasped his sword and set his jaw.
He uttered forth a bloody curse
And charged the creature straight and hard.
It took but moments to traverse
That gloomy, slimy covered yard.
His silv'ry sword flashed once, flashed twice
Before he cried a fearful scream.
He disappeared within a trice.
Our hero watched as in a dream.
The evil creature watched and stared
With eyes as cold and hard as ice.
It taunted, cajoled, sneered and dared
The knight to make his sacrifice.
Amidst the dark and gath'ring gloom
The creature was too hard to spy.
One flaming torch lit up the room
Our hero grasped it, held it high.
But as he did he glanced and spied
The evil monster back away.
It saw the flame and tried to hide
Among the shadows, black and grey.
The beast had risen up from Hell
But flame and fire could strike it dead.
Our hero armed himself full well
With sword and torch of flaming red.
He charged the monster fast and hard,
The torch he aimed straight at the eye.
The flailing arms he hacked and scarred
He had to fight and see it die.
So fierce the stab and cut and thrust
And loud the creature's scream and cry,
The knight knew that his fight was just
And soon the victory was nigh.
Part V
Victory
The beast at last lay dead and still
And silence filled the castle air.
No more was felt the evil chill;
Our hero sighed a gentle prayer.
His quest at last was near complete
And all his foes were vanquished, dead.
No enemies were left to beat
No nightmare was there left to dread.
The walls all echoed to his sound
As carefully he searched and sought,
Until at last he saw and found
The sight for which he'd killed and fought.
A hidden flight of rock-hewn stairs
He found behind a brass hinged door.
Once more he breathed his silent prayers
And felt his spirits rise and soar.
The dungeon smelt of damp and fear
His heart was pounding loud and strong.
For now the final act was near,
At last he'd right a sinful wrong.
One final door was bolted tight;
It opened with a mighty shove.
And then at last our hero knght
Beheld his long-lost lady love.
Her hair was red as copper beech;
Her eyes as blue as cornflow'rs wild;
Her cheeks as pink as any peach;
The earth stood still whene'er she smiled.
In just one stride he reached her side,
Her eyes were filled with shining tears.
At last he'd found his virgin bride,
The one he'd sought so many years.
He kissed her lips and touched her hand;
He looked up to the sky above.
Of all the damsels in the land
Once more he'd found his one true love.
And thus our tale is ended now;
Our lovers separation o'er.
So let us each now take a vow
Like them to love for ever more.
