Seven warriors in black armor
The spear is their weapon of specialty
They respond to the call of their sovereign:
Protect the kingdom!
Riding out in the light of dawn
They are a scouting party against the massing enemy
In single file they travel through the Narrows
Their captain takes the point
If he is struck down, his cadre has orders
Two will flee
The swiftest carry the message
The stoutest stay and fight
Defend the messengers!
Avenge the leader!
Die bravely, die fighting
Never die for naught.
Approaching a ridge in the evening gloaming
Darkness crawling across the moor
Nothing all day for the reconnoiter
Then at the ridge top, the heart drops
Fires of the camp dot the plain
Reaching out for miles, it seems
Glowing sparks of death, of defeat
Terrible, beautiful, terrible
Below on the slopes, they spot a chance
For a small raiding party to make a difference
The general's tent!
The captain locks eyes with his knights
Attack quickly, quietly
Strike the head of the beast,
The heart of the invasion.
We will die trying.
Two will stay
Someone must observe
Someone must report
The swiftest carry the message
This is such a well-crafted and evocative poem. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Alex! I did this one a while back and found it recently.
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