The Egg of Orlin
By Bonnie Mutchler
First Smashwords Edition, 2010
Copyright 2010 by Bonnie Mutchler
Cover design copyright Joleene Naylor 2009. All rights reserved.
Cover Fonts by Larabie Fonts (http://www.larabiefonts.com/ )
Smashwords Edition, License Notes
This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you share it with. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then you should return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.
Bonnie Mutchler on Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/bonniemutchler
Other poetry collections by Bonnie Mutchler:
Inside the Worm
http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/14269
**********
Alima
Alima, city of the living dead;
City of which all men dread.
City walls all made of lead.
Alima.
Sleeping city, far to the west.
An ancient city, once the best.
The empire fell, ah, like the rest,
Alima.
The buildings fall and shatter,
Can yet help, but a tear to splatter,
To think an enemy came to batter
Alima.
No one falls heir the throne;
So high the brush has grown,
The land has turned to stone,
Alima.
Oh, but can anyone know when
This city, once o'er flowed with sin,
Will be found and filled again?
Alima.
Is there any hope, with sky so black?
Does in my heart the courage lack?
For God, oh God, I must turn back
From Alima.
I turn to run, there is no door;
The walls have closed up like before,
And I shall escape, ah, nevermore
From Alima.
My body suddenly must fall.
Alas, the devil does take all,
And I must sleep, n'er to recall
Alima.
**********
April 1862
'Twas damp in the camp'
The rain fell down
And puddled 'round the tents.
While behind the flaps
Sat white-faced men
Reflecting on events.
And each man there
Shook in his fear,
For they knew when tomorrow came
Each one could expect
A violent death
And a grave without a name.
The wind, it shrieked;
The young boys weeped,
Their faces hid from view.
The sentries stood
As though carved from wood,
Their nerves near cracked in two.
The sarge' made the rounds,
His eyes searched the grounds;
He was weary and old tonight.
The lieutenant was green,
And he lay in his dreams,
Too afraid to admit his fright.
The captain was bold,
Though just twenty years old,
And his eyes glowed when he laughed.
They were blue as the stream
In his favorite dream,
Where he lay with a bonny lass.
It was just after ten
When the aid came in
And the major laid down his pen.
Done were the reports
And a letter of sorts
He had writ to his nearest kin.
He poured from the pot
The brew, black and hot,
Then ordered the boy off to bed.
He silently drank
As he tried not to think
That tomorrow they all might be dead.
Like an unwelcome guest
That disturbs a man's rest,
The pale sun broke over the camp.
Each man with his gun
Shivered 'neath the sun
As the morning loomed drear and damp.
The air was still
As over the hill
Came the enemy ready to fight.
To the bugle's tin blast
Each man bid his past
Goodbye and goodbye and goodbye.
**********
Arramin
"Off with the wind,"
Said Arramin
And the gray horse tossed it's head.
They rose up high
Into the sky
Where the sun was glowing red.
They floated free
Above the trees
And the battles fought below
Were naught to them,
For the deeds of men
Seemed petty, small and low.
He felt no need
To pay them heed,
Those things of flesh and bone,
For he gazed through eyes
That were flawed with pride
And his heart was cold as stone.
Then the great god Merse,
Of the universe,
Sent for man's guardian.
To the castle Stroud,
Above the clouds,
Flew the haughty Arramin.
He stood there proud
And he would not bow
Before the mighty godhead.
Merse searched his soul
And found it cold,
So the great god struck him dead.
**********
Blackstone Castle
Can you feel it?
The pulsating of the room
Like a heartbeat,
He was murdered here, you know.
They say his spirit never rests
And none dare spend the night
Within these walls.
But of course you're too sensible
To believe this foolishness.
This grave-like chill is the result
Of architectural design
And lack of central heating.
What was that?
A moan, it sounded like!
Of course, you're right,
Merely the wind in the eaves.
You know, they never found the cause of death.
Some thought it odd, those two small wounds
And too, there was no blood left in his body.
Rather strange, isn't it?
But it's growing very late.
It will be dawn soon
And really, I must be going.
Here, let me kiss your neck.
**********
Climb Upon My Silver Steed
Come, climb upon my silver steed,
The wind is blowing in the trees.
The moon is hanging, pale and cold;
The darkness waning, the night is old.
Dawn waits, impatient, o'er the hill
Listening for the first bird's trill.
Come climb upon my silver steed
And let us ride with greatest speed.
No, I'll not climb upon your steed,
Though you should beg upon your knees.
There is no plea that you could make,
No promise give nor vow forsake,
That might in any way inspire
My heart to burn with passion's fire.
I'll not commit such foolish deed
As to climb upon your silver steed.
Then I shall climb upon my steed
And follow the road where e'er it leads.
I'll turn my back upon this place;
Forget my heart, forget your face,
Forget the only love I've known.
I'll match your icy heart with stone.
And though tomorrow you may weep,
I'll far be gone upon my steed.
Then climb upon your silver steed
And follow the road where e'er it leads.
Perhaps to you my heart seems cold,
But not to a real man, were he bold.
But hush now, for I hear the gate,
Who could it be at this hour late?
If you value your life, my lord, pay heed,
Ride quickly on your silver steed.
No. I'll not fly upon my steed.
I'm not the kind to kiss and leave.
Though you might hint I'm not a man,
Still better than a thief I am.
I will not leave you here in danger
From some mysterious lurking stranger.
I beg you now come fly with me
And we'll escape on my silver steed.
Do not climb on his silver steed,
Fair daughter, pay your father heed.
A plague on your head, Stuart MacDunn,
And a curse to every other one
Who bears that name or wears the brand
Of your family crest upon his hand.
'Twill do no good for you to plead,
Step down or die on your silver steed.
I'll not step down from my silver steed.
Death calls to you, old man, pay heed;
Put down your sword and let me pass
Or be prepared to breathe your last.
For love of lady, I would go;
I'd leave you alive and gladly go.
I have not the heart to make her grieve,
Stand back, old man, from my silver steed.
But the old man would not pay him heed.
He grabbed at the reins of the silver steed
As he thrust the deadly blade of steel.
He watched as the young man's life blood spilled
From his chest, where the wound was gaping wide.
The young maid climbed up by his side
And held him close while his blood flowed free
As they rode away on the silver steed.
**********
Devil's Child
In shadow's gloom the evening falls
Beneath the empty sky
And time is but an endless stream
That runs forever nigh.
If in thy lonely bower e'er
I come to thee again,
'Twill be because I've heard once more
The whisper of thy name.
'Twill be to purge thy faithless heart;
To lift thy angel's face
And brand it with the Devil's mark,
Once hidden by thy grace.
For thou art sure true Satan's child,
Warm fleshed, with heart so cold;
And as a vampire feeds on blood,
Thou fed upon my soul
And I once loved, as all men love
The beauty of thy smile;
I saw thee not, yet loved thee more,
For all thy wicked guile.
I took thee from thy father's house
To keep thee for a while,
Within these lonely castle walls,
Upon this desert isle.
Condemned art thou, forever more,
While I sail off to sea.
No man will ever save thy soul;
No man will set thee free.
So, devil's child, in thy prison,
Save thy evil breath,
For if I come to thee again
'Twill be to bring thee death.
**********
Gherla
There's a terror that roams the city tonight;
A terror men do not see,
Just hypnotic eyes while he sucks them dry,
Then silently he flees.
He's shrouded in mist and the night world's his;
He's cursed by a hundred names.
Still he stalks his prey, and is gone by day
To the land of smoke and flames.
In the distance a yelp
And a cry for help;
The first victim is through.
He bares his fangs,
The alarm bell clangs,
Too late for victim two.
Then three and four,
How many more?
Too many now to count.
True to the curse,
It only gets worse
As the casualties quickly mount.
Then bring your bells,
Your book of spells,
Your cross, your wooden stakes.
In cold daylight,
Though filled with fright,
We'll catch him 'fore he wakes.
Drive the stake deep
While the monster sleeps,
And brand him with the cross.
Speak the white spells
And ring the bells;
Once more the demon's lost.
**********
Guildenchrist
I am Guildenchrist,
Mightiest of the mighty.
My hand is my sword,
My knowledge, my helmet;
My wit is my shield;
My cunning, my armor.
None may defeat me,
For I am defender of
The Golden Throne.
I am the strength of the weak
And Deliverer of the Guild.
**********
I Do Not Want a Hero
As I was walking through the woods
I chanced upon a tower, high,
And in the doorway sat a maid
And I could hear her cry,
"Do not send me a hero
Who's always gone from home.
I do not want a hero
Who lives his life to roam."
I hid behind a hedgewood tree
To watch the pretty maid;
She gazed at far horizons
Where the clouds hung low and gray.
"I do not want a hero!"
She shouted at the sky.
"Do not send me a champion
Who'll only make me cry."
Impatiently she shook her curls,
Her hands were on her hips;
Her little mouth was in a pout
As these words poured from her lips:
"I do not want a hero,
Who's caught up in every fight.
Just give to me a simple man
Who'll stay at home at night."
Then in the distance came the beat
Of hooves flying 'cross the mead;
A hero reigned up at the door
And from his charger leaped.
He drew the maid into his arms;
She trembled as she sighed,
"I do not want another man,
My hero's home tonight."
**********
Jamie of the Glen
Come all ye lads and lift your cups,
A toast to the best of men,
As they march down the road behind the drums
And Jamie of the glen
They heed the call, the battle cry,
That is sounding once again
And on foot and horse they rally 'round
Fair Jamie of the glen.
He's brave and bold, like the men of old,
and he swears he'll always win,
For he only fights for what is right,
Does Jamie of the glen.
For a Start's reign, a war he'll wage,
As he marches with his men.
He'll take his sword and he'll take my heart,
Will Jamie of the glen.
But when our brave young lads come home.
We'll round about and then
We'll proudly follow the banner, bold,
And Jamie to the glen.
And we'll dance all night 'neath the golden moon
While we drink to our gallant men,
And I'll gaily roll me 'round about
With Jamie of the glen.
**********
Michael
Once, long ago, in the moonlight's glow
Came Michael to the glen,
With hair of gold and blue eyes, bold;
The handsomest of men.
Hung a golden sword from a silver cord
Slung 'round his slender hip;
In his heart a song played all day long
And a smile was on his lips.
Then the 'chantress came, dressed in a flame,
And she danced in the greeny glen.
The sparks fair rose from her tiny toes
As she began to spin.
A web she'd spun when at last she'd done,
And helpless Michael lay.
She loved him there in the cold night air,
While the fairie's music played.
As the first pink light attacked the night
A mist rose from the ground.
When Michael woke, the spell was broke;
No longer was he bound.
The web was gone and the fairie's song
Was lost without a trace,
But his heart felt cold, for he'd lost his soul
When he'd gazed upon her face.
He stayed all day, longing for the maid,
There in the ferny glen.
The darkness rose and the moonlight glowed,
But she ne'er came back again.
Through day, through night, through dark and light,
Like an empty shell he stays.
He just sits there, while his golden hair
Turns gradually to gray.
**********
Morul
'Twas a wind that sighed
And shook the sky
When Morul came to life.
He stood for good
And brotherhood,
For justice, truth and right.
With sword in hand,
He roamed the land,
Putting Evil to its flight.
His armor glowed
As he bravely rode
Through valleys dark as night,
Up mountain sides
That touched the sky,
'Cross desert's burning sands,
Through forests green,
Past frosty streams,
'Cross rolling, barren land.
Then late one night
'Neath pale moon light,
Evil staggered in the shade.
Morul raised his lance
As the great steed danced,
And he held his foe at bay.
But the King of Hell
Cast a deadly spell
And Morul's blood turned cold.
It raced through his veins
Like a fiery flame
As it burned into his soul.
His heart beat fast,
His eyes were glassed,
And he trembled in the dark.
Morul screamed in pain
As it froze his brain,
But deep within a spark,
Flaring to life,
Cut like a knife
Through his unconscious haze;
Faith brought him back,
With a mighty slap,
From an almost certain grave.
He drew his sword
As Evil roared
And bristled for attack,
With razor claws
And iron jaws
And armor 'cross it's back.
It fought quite well,
This King of Hell,
But Morul's heart was pure
And from it poured
Strength to his sword
As he battled Lucifer.
He drove it down
Against the ground,
The sword point at its beard.
Then fog rolled in,
When he looked again
The Devil'd disappeared.
Where did it flee?
Where could it be?
In rage Morul slashed the air,
Then he leapt to his steed
And raced through the trees
To the flatlands lying bare.
He rides for right,
Through days and nights,
Down country lanes, through towns;
An unending quest,
For he cannot rest
'Til the King of Hell is found.
**********
Murder
Though gentle breezes flutter,
A storm brews in thy breast,
For fear of sword comes closer,
And nearer comes thy dead.
Black clouds obscure the heavens
And the wild poppies bloom.
Comes closer to my weapon
And prepare to meet thy doom.
**********
My Prince
Stay close beside me tonight, my prince,
For when tomorrow dawns
You're going away to fight, my prince,
And lonely I'll be when you're gone.
Do not leave 'til the 'morrow, my prince;
Be not anxious to go.
I can't constrain the sorrow, my prince,
Nor hold back the tears that now flow.
Spend your last hours with me, my prince,
Before the morning glows
And I'll wait eternally, my prince,
Take my heart and a scarlet rose.
**********
Pailo
It's thirty below on Pailo tonight
And the second lieutenant's still lost.
The captain shouts, "Turn the search beam on
For he must be found at all costs."
"There's no sign of life," the computer voice cracks,
"Search completed and standing by."
"But he must be there!" the captain moans.
"It's inconceivable he should die."
The second officer shakes his head,
"We've done all we humanly can,
And it's my considered opinion, sir,
We must alert high command."
The captain collapses into his chair,
Wipes his brow with an unsteady hand.
The signal man stands at the radio
Awaiting the captain's command.
"No, by God!" shouts the captain, banging his fist
"I won't give up that easily.
Call a search party with sub-zero gear
To the transporter, then come with me."
Small chips of ice pelt the team
As they trudge through the knee deep snow.
Through their heavy helmets of zionite
They hear the wild winds blow.
There's a dozen of their finest men
And the captain in the lead;
He cautions each man to be on his guard
Then signals them to proceed.
While far out in space above their heads
A Hawken destroyer rose
From deep in the shadows where it's hull
Glinted gray like a murky ghost.
The lights spring on as the laser fires,
Red beams smash Explorer's bow.
The bridge command shouts, "Deflectors on!"
"Sorry sir, but it's too late now."
The ship rocks and bucks with every blast
As the beams eat the hull away.
One explosion follows another until
The fiery ship reels through space.
And far, far below in the icy cold
They watch the fire ball
Arc as it crosses the stratosphere,
In the distance, growing small.
The captain's heart leaps with a wild thud
Then slowly sinks back in place.
He flips his communicator on,
But the beam bounces off through space.
They all stand close with baited breaths,
Their hearts and brains were numb,
Waiting, just silently waiting
For an answer that will not come.
It's fifteen below on Pailo today,
And the days are as dark as the nights.
The tiny crew huddles against the cold
With ice cubes instead of eyes.
They search, vainly search, the heavens above
But there's nothing out there to see.
The High Command thinks that they're all dead
And they probably will soon be.
**********
Raise Your Swords
"Raise your sword, we'll battle the horde,
Brave lads, to the front we go,
And we'll show no fear, as we finish them there
To keep them from our homes.
We'll give our lives to protect our wives,,
Our daughters and our sons.
We'll fight for right with all our might
'Til the war at last is won."
So we beat our drums and left our sons,
Our daughters and our wives.
The bugles blared 'til they cracked the air
As we offered up our lives.
The fife blew shrill from o'er the hill
And the enemy was met.
We fought for days in the hot sun's blaze;
They were days we'll ne'er forget.
We saw such things as human beings
Should never ever see.
The horror, the fear, one never hears
Of these in tales of glory.
We held our breath as we gazed at death
And stared at him full face.
The blood and pain burned in our brains;
The total human waste.
Yet we knew that our cause was true;
We only defended us.
We had no doubt it would all turn out
With our band victorious.
There was moral right upon our side
And we beat the enemy soundly.
We licked the foe, then turned for home
As we marched with our banner proudly.
**********
Raphael
From an ancient spell
Came Raphael
And the horse with the golden mane,
And they rode like the wind
To battle sin
From the mountains to the plains.
His armor glowed
As he bravely rode
And his sword hung at his side.
Then he met a maid
In the forest glade
And there his virtue died.
For her hair was gold,
Her eyes were bold,
And her skin was pale and white.
Her lips were red
As the blood she shed
When she seduced the knight.
In a puff of smoke
The spell was broke
And the hero, Raphael,
Fell in disgrace,
For he'd abased
The power of Arramell.
And the stone, once pure,
Lay dull and blurred,
Blighted by his passions;
And the power, once strong,
Was lost and gone,
And all his hopes were ashes.
So to atone
He rode alone
Through the forest, cold and black.
He left her there,
With her golden hair,
And he never e'en looked back.
Like a ghost he roams,
And he'll never come home
'Til the stone glows bright again,
For though hope is bleak,
The hero seeks
Forgiveness for his sin.
**********
Ride Away, Johnny Boy
Johnny's leavin' for the war,
Johnny's leavin' for the war;
Won't be comin' back no more.
Ride away, Johnny boy.
Johnny cocked his rifle gun,
Johnny cocked his rifle gun,
And all the Yanks were on the run.
Ride away, Johnny boy.
Johnny's brave and Johnny's strong,
Johnny's brave and Johnny's strong,
He thinks that he must right this wrong.
Ride away, Johnny boy.
Johnny's fightin' left and right,
Johnny's fightin' left and right,
He's watchin' men die day and night.
Ride away, Johnny boy.
Johhny hears the cannons boom,
Johhny hears the cannons boom,
Spellin' out my darlin's doom.
Ride away, Johnny boy.
Johnny cocked his rifle gun,
Johnny cocked his rifle gun,
Now he's dyin' in the sun.
Ride away, Johnny boy.
Johnny's captain came to me,
Johnny's captain came to me,
He said he stood and watched him bleed.
Ride away, Johnny boy.
Johnny's finally comin' back,
Johnny's finally comin' back,
In a big coach painted black.
Ride away, Johnny boy.
Johnny was buried yesterday,
Johnny was buried yesterday,
I begged him not to go away.
Ride away, Johnny boy.
**********
Sand
A hot wind blew out of the south
And the sand shifted lazily;
It rippled across the vast wasteland
Like an endless golden sea.
Crossing the horizon a caravan
Of stately desert ships,
With Bedouins in flowing robes
Perched proudly on their hips.
Silently they moved o'er burning sand
And there was no end to it.
They traveled from birth to death and on;
'Twas fate, they clearly knew it.
Since time began and the birth of man
These vagabonds have wandered.
As old as the wind, as old as the sand,
As old as the lives they've squandered.
**********
Sing Me a Song
“Sing me a song, true love, true love;
Sing me a song, sweet fairie.
Sing me a song, true love, true love,
But keep it light and airy.”
“I know no song, true love, true love;
I know no song,” said the fairie.
“I know no song, true love, true love,
That be sung both light and airy.”
“Then I'll drink my cup, true love, true love;
I'll drink my cup, sweet fairie.
I'll drink my cup, true love, true love,
And I'll no longer tarry.”
“Then drink your cup, true love, true love;
Drink your cup,” said the fairie.
“Drink your cup, true love, true love.
I'll no longer have ye tarry.”
“You're a lovely lass, true love, true love;
You're a lovely lass, sweet fairie.
You're a lovely lass, true love, true love,
The kind I fain would marry.”
“Tis your cup that speaks, true love, true love;
Tis your cup that speaks,” said the fairie.
“Tis your cup that speaks, true love, true love,
For tis none of ye I'd marry.”
**********
Sing To Me Gently
Sing to me gently, my soft-hearted lover,
As away we go riding across the green clover;
'Cross forests and fields and over the hills
'Til we come to the white cliffs of Dover.
Strum to me gently upon your sweet lyre,
Melodious rhapsodies to give my heart fire,
And there in its glow let the song ebb and flow
'Til I'm awash in the flood of desire.
**********
The Abandoned Garden
The wind whistled through the rusty gate
And hinges creaked ominously.
Brown leaves swept the path o'er grown with grass
and the borders lay strangled with weeds.
The pale moon rose in the midnight sky;
Silver beams struggled down through the trees.
The scent of the flowers rose soft on the breeze,
Nearly lost in the stench of decay.
The white marble benches, finely carved,
That had once been so tastefully placed,
Now stood neglected, covered in dust
And a tangle of spider's lace.
Pale faded blossoms peeped gingerly
From their shrouds in the underbrush
And the dead like silence was shattered
By the cry of the woodland thrush.
And all of the garden joined his lament
For the glorious days, grand and lush.
**********
The Ancient Tomb
Sealed in the tomb
Was the crown of doom
On the ancient brow of bone,
And his knights, so bold,
Had long grown cold,
Their bodies turned to stone.
Once they were men
Who fought to defend
Their city. The legends tell
How in defeat
They did retreat
To an old abandoned well.
The foe flung rocks
'Til they filled the top
And the well became their tomb.
There they did lay
For centuries
In the hole that was their doom.
No one cried
For those who died,
Adventurers came and went.
They've searched the ground,
But they've never found
This place where these souls were spent.
**********
The Betrayal
Emerald eyes of a goddess,
Ah, Chantel! Daughter of the king.
In thy wake bold men stand speechless
To hear thy beauty sing.
No rose can match thy beauty,
No pearl is as white as thy flesh,
No love can swell thy bosom
Like the love of Steven Ash.
Boldest of all outlaws was he;
Fiercest of warriors, brave and sure.
He feared no king, but with spirit free
He loved Chantel, so pure.
The three blind sisters wove their fate
And intertwined their separate threads.
The gods up in the heavens smiled
And touched their golden heads.
Their secret vows were made one night;
Upon the moon they pledged their love,
Eternal as the stars that glow,
Bright as the light above.
Steven's partner, a black haired wench,
With passion burning in her veins,
Swore she'd win her comrade’s love,
No matter what the pain.
She lured him below the casement
Where the proud Chantel did stand,
Then she kissed his lips and held his face
In her soft, fevered hands.
Chantel knew not the wench's plot
And in her heart hell's fire burned.
Her eyes were ice, her face was pale;
She thought her love was spurned.
Oh, hell has nothing to compare
With the agony of distrust
And love becomes an obscure path
When a lover is unjust.
She sent a message to the king
That told of Steven's hiding place,
And shortly then, they brought him in,
The outlaw, Steven Ash.
They took him to a dungeon cell
And beat him 'til his blood ran red.
Watching nearby sat proud Chantel;
He smiled and he said:
"No rose can match thy beauty,
No pearl is as white as thy flesh.
No lover shall thee ever have
That loves thee like Steven Ash.
And though tomorrow they hang me,
My darling, I shall feel no fear,
If thou wilt come and hold my hand
And spend our last night here."
She wept and slowly she stood up,
And so slowly she walked away.
She sat on the steps of the gallows
'Til the sky was turning gray.
She listened to the morning birds
As they sang their mournful tune.
The guards marched Steven from his cell
And all was over soon.
No roses for Chantel today,
Her emerald eyes have no flash,
For never again will she find true love
Like the love of Steven Ash.
Oh, never may Chantel forget;
His sweet touch she'll remember,
And she who betrayed her only love
Now weeps alone in her chamber.
**********
The Dagger
Give me your dagger, my own true love;
The one with the long, thin blade.
Give me your dagger, my only love,
And I'll send you to your grave.
**********
The Death of a Confederate Soldier
Roslinn, oh, sweet Roslinn,
Why do you moan and wail?
They've taken your lover to the graveyard
And there he'll forever dwell.
Mother, oh dear mother,
Why is it that you weep?
Your only son lies in his grave
Forevermore to sleep.
Good friend, oh his best friend,
Why do you stand and cry?
You stood beside him in the cannon fire
And there you watched him die.
Mourners, oh dear mourners,
Your tears won't make him live.
Be grateful for a man who fought for you
And gave all that he could give.
Southland, beloved Southland,
He fought for you long and brave.
Proudly he wore his tattered gray coat,
Now he wears it in his grave.
**********
The Devil's Garden
There is no peace, for love is dead,
And truth is but a falsehood
Laid before a garden path
That leads to Evil's stronghold;
So enter there the walls that flow
With silver ivy and the gold.
Beneath the flowered portal lay
The embers of a burning soul
In decadence and raw decay,
The rattled bones of grinning hell.
The anguished screams and rotting flesh
Are mixed with sulfur's acid smell
And mingles with the scent of sweet,
'Til none suspect what Horrors dwell
Within this wall so tempting.
Come in;
Give me your soul!
**********
The Fairie Glade
Far, far away in the fairie glade,
Strange tales are often told
Of a maiden there with long black hair
And her hero, brave and bold.
How they met one night in the cold moon light,
While the ghosts were in the trees,
Then her kinfolk came and cursed his name
As they beat him to his knees.
With blades of steel, they made their kill,
There among the trees.
They left him dead where his blood flowed red
While the ghosts watched silently.
Then they took the maid from the forest glade
And tied her to a steed.
Away they rode towards their home
Undaunted by their deed.
The wind, once mild, grew fierce and wild
'til it bent the forest trees;
The lightning flashed, the thunder crashed,
And the ground shook mightily.
Before them swelled the king of Hell;
The men dropped to their knees.
The ground cracked wide and they fell inside,
As the ghosts laughed in the trees.
'Tis best, they say, to stay away
From the haunted fairie glade,
But if late at night it should come in sight,
You might see the long haired maid.
On the grass she lies, while before your eyes,
Her lover does appear.
He holds her tight, there in the light
Of a pale moon, softly sheer.
*********
The Gold
The moment was now,
The sweat on his brow
Ran like an icy river.
He rubbed his hands
On his dirty pants;
Emotion made him shiver.
The marks were clear,
The spot was here;
He pulled the brush away.
A pile of rock;
'Twas this he sought
When he left Samon that day.
The horde of gold
That his partners stole
When they left him there for dead,
With his body broke
On the rocks below
And a bullet in his head.
But he hadn't died;
He had survived
And he'd hunted down the knaves.
The pale, cold sun
Glinted on the gun
As he sent them to their graves.
He moved the rocks;
With his rifle stock
He scooped the earth away.
A bit of rag
Then a dozen bags,
Like eggs in a nest they lay.
He hid the gold
In his blanket roll,
Then saddled up the bay.
He turned the horse
Towards the north
And silently rode away.
*********
The Joker's Not The Only Fool
The castle lay hushed in the pre-dawn hours
When word from the king came down;
He'd have her head on a silver tray,
If the good queen could be found.
In the dark of night she slipped away
With her lover, Sir Isaac Brown.
Now the king assembled his finest knights
And ordered them hunted down.
"Leave no stone left unturned," he said.
"Check every pub and inn.
Let them not escape me now;
She'll pay for her bloody sin!
It's not that I care so much for my wife,
I've women a-plenty, of course.
It isn't embarrassment or pride;
She's stolen my very best horse."
**********
The Maid in the Woods
At the edge of the woods
Three figures stood
Wrapped in cloaks of red;
One with a sword,
One with a bow,
And one with a crown on his head.
Then from the trees
There stirred a breeze,
Heavy with sweet perfume,
And a maid with eyes
The shade of skies
Stood silent in the gloom.
She beckoned the men
And they entered in,
Plunging through the brush.
The trees so high
They blocked the sky
And ferns grew thick and lush.
They followed the maid
Through weary days
As she guided their pathless way
And by night they camped,
Huddled in the damp
As the mist rose thick and gray.
But as each day passed
The mood changed fast;
The men cast eyes on the maid.
They lingered longer,
The tension grew stronger,
Tempers flared and nerves were frayed.
Then late one night
In the firelight
The beast took control of the men
And they forced their way
Upon the maid
There in the wooded glen.
Then with hearts of stone,
They left her alone
And fell asleep by the fire.
A roar from the dark
Woke them with a start,
To find their position was dire.
In the firelight's glow
A face like a toad,
Three times the height of the men,
With bulging eyes,
The shade of skies,
And an evil, ugly grin.
They shrieked as one
And tried to run,
But there was no place to go.
A pale yellow tongue,
Thin and long,
Shot from the mouth of the toad.
'round the men it wrapped
And with a snap
Its hunger it appeased.
Her revenge was apt
As her hollow laugh
Echoed through the trees.
**********
The Rusty Knight
The knight stood there in rusty armor,
And swore to her he'd never harm her,
Then with his broadsword cut her down
And left her bloody on the ground.
The hero rode on his horse of white
Through the forest, dark and black as night.
He held in his hand a mighty glaive
And vowed the maiden he would save;
But he found his lovely lady dead,
And his heart was turned to a lump of lead.
He shrieked his curses to the sky
And swore the rusty knight would die.
He hunted the villain all around,
For thirty years from town to town;
But his heart was broke when he found the knave,
And he died in tears on the rusty grave.
**********
The Tale of Portino
The wind was sobbing in the trees
Of Freedom Pass near the Codgenese
Where lusty hero, Portino,
Rode with his armor all aglow.
Then a shriek broke through the autumn peace
And the path was blocked by a fearsome beast.
O'er eighty meters from foot to head
With iron scales of scarlet red.
It's fangs were long and yellow spikes;
It's tongue was forked and poised to strike.
The hero raised his mighty lance
As the great steed did it's battle dance;
Hooves pounded thunder as he charged
Towards the monster looming large.
The weapon struck with such a force
The hero tumbled from his horse.
The steed reared high and cried in fright,
Then raced away, far out of sight.
Portino sprang to his feet,
Gripped his sword and met the beast.
In bloody combat, cruel and raw,
'Tween sword and muscle, fang and claw.
They slashed and ripped through flesh and bone;
The air was thick with anguished moans.
All day they battled with no rest;
The sun slowly faded in the west.
The path flowed crimson with their blood
As it pooled and mingled in the mud.
The monster thumped its massive tail;
The ground shook so the hero fell.
The sword went flying from his fist
And in the dark the great beast hissed.
The hero felt it's hot foul breath
And he could smell the stench of death
Pass o'er him like the shade of doom
As the monster's bulk blocked out the moon.
The lightning flashed and thunder rolled;
The wind, once warm, blew wild and cold.
In the hero's veins his blood did freeze;
He rolled and scrambled to his knees,
His fingers searching for the sword
They grasped the hilt; the great beast roared.
It pounced upon the hapless knight
Who thrust his sword with all his might.
Blood gushed forth and sprayed the man
As he felt the monster's claws dig in
And squeeze with all the power of hell.
His bones were cracked, his face was swelled;
His lungs were crushed and he gasped in vain,
His senses reeled from rage and pain.
The world turned black, the hero swooned;
Blood still spewed from the monster's wound.
It shuddered as it breathed it's last,
Then toppled down upon the path.
The hero landed by its side
And in the monster's blood he died.
**********
The Tale of the Barrol
The parunus plants are blooming
And the perry blossoms blow
As the summer winds call softly
to the hero, Faireno.
"Beware, beware," they call to him,
"The Barrol's treachery."
But the hero didn't listen
And the hero didn't see.
Four golden rulies hit the dust
Of the savage planet Harroll;
The Barrol picked the gold coins up
And the hero fell in peril.
Good Faireno gripped firm his hand,
"No truer friend have I."
But the hero didn't notice
The shifting of the eye.
The Barrol kissed his best friend's hand
As he thrust the silver dagger.
With words of love still on his lips
The hero slowly staggered.
Then he fell down upon the ground
And in his blood he died.
The Barrol fell upon his knees
And the hall rang with his cries.
The servant knocked upon the door,
And before his master bowed.
The old man stood in robes of white
With a crown upon his brow.
He bade the Barrol enter in
As the servant did withdraw.
"The deed is done; he is no more."
And the Barrol's heart was raw.
The old man smiled an evil smile
'Til he saw the bloody dagger,
Then deep it plunged into the heart
Of the Lord of Astinagger.
The wind was sharp as it wildly blew
And it shrieked like a mad man's cries.
The Barrol stood by the cold black lake;
His sword hung by his side.
'Twas lust for gold that doomed his soul
And brought him to this end.
'Twas lust for gold that turned him cold
And murdered his best friend.
Once more he raised his bloody hand
And prayed his soul find peace.
Once more he raised his bloody hand
And plunged the dagger deep.
**********
The Tower and the Sea
The maid sat at the tower window
And sang to the lonely sea,
"Oh, god of the ocean, hear my song
And send a ship to me."
But a ship didn't come, the years went by,
And the maiden was no longer young,
When she cried to the sea, "Oh, tell me please,
What is it that I've done?"
But the sea just crashed against the rocks
And it did not hear her cry.
It did not care 'bout the maiden fair
And the years slowly crawling by.
The ship was proud, the wind was stout,
And the captain's beard was graying.
He searched the seas for his stolen love
Taken years ago by raiders.
In anguish he cried to the empty sky,
"Oh, how many seas must I sail?
When will I find the love of my life,
For I'll die before I fail."
One day the wind died and the rushing tide
Floated the great ship landward
Where the captain saw a tower tall
And the wreck of a ship on a sandbar.
First he felt sad, then he thought himself mad,
For the ship was the raider's, he'd swear.
And over the deck of the derelict wreck
Was their bones lying cold and bare.
He leaped in the sea and swam to the beach;
He climbed up the rocky cliff.
In what seemed hours, he reached the tower
But the old latch would not lift.
He grasped a stone, though it cut to the bone,
He beat on the stout wood door.
Soaked in his blood, each hollow thud
Made it weaker than before.
With a snap and a groan, it tore from the stone,
And the door fell free from the wall.
His heart beat fast as he gazed in the dark
To the figure that stood in the hall.
Had he indeed found the maid of his dreams,
His love he had lost long ago?
In the shadow she stood, like a statue of wood,
Then she stepped in the glow of the window............
**********
Bonnie Mutchler has written hundreds of poems since her childhood, several of which have been published in anthologies. She lives in Missouri with her one eyes cat Blinky and loves her Super Poke Pet, Clucky.
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