Tales of the Shattered Crystal Read online

  Oh, my sweet William,

  They shouldn't have done this.

  With hate in my heart I will go;

  Bearing arms I will vanquish the foe.

  ***

  One Small Sparrow

  Come, sit with me tonight, my love,

  Weep not for the sparrow.

  'Twas thoughtlessness that killed him dead

  When you shot your arrow.

  'Tis thoughtlessness that kills a king

  And topples an empire.

  'Tis thoughtlessness that kills true love,

  Robs passion of its fire.

  'Tis thoughtlessness 'twill end the world

  Someday when it is older.

  Let not the weight of one small bird

  Lay heavy on your shoulder.

  But, remember well, my little lad,

  When next you shoot an arrow,

  It might well be the world you spear

  Instead of one small sparrow.

  ***

  Sanyon

  There is no haven in this world

  Except for the Sayon's tower;

  There is no freedom on this earth

  Save for the wind and the flower.

  For Tarrel rules with an iron hand

  In a land as hard as he;

  And the peasant's back is bent and broke

  By the weight of poverty.

  But who'll fight back, who'll stand alone,

  Who'll bring the tyrant down?

  What man is there among these sheep

  With nerve to crush a crown?

  No one there spoke nor raised his head;

  They stood with down cast eyes;

  This gathering of so-called men

  Beneath the cold, grey sky.

  White lightning flashed and thunder rolled,

  Blue smoke rose from the north.

  Then through the haze a mighty knight

  In armor sauntered forth.

  All done in black from head to foot

  No bit of flesh unsheathed,

  And powerful the metal shell

  Was built for him beneath.

  Around his head a silver crown

  Glittered pure and bright,

  While on his breast a silver cross

  Fair glowed with its own light.

  And with his gauntlet covered hand

  He raised the heavy sword.

  The downfall of the tyrant then

  He swore upon his soul.

  The awe-struck crowd bent low their heads;

  They fell upon their knees

  And loudly blessed the stranger, dark,

  Upon his lusty steed.

  The war horse snorted fire and ash;

  It's black hooves pawed the earth.

  The timid town folk scurried back

  And silently disbursed.

  He galloped down the dusty road

  So fast he seemed to fly,

  Towards the grim black tower that stood

  Outlined against the sky.

  The wild wind shrieked a devil's curse.

  He bent beneath the blast

  As it shattered trees, stripped the leaves,

  And tore away the grass.

  The heaven's boiled and bolts of blue

  Fled ragged 'cross the sky.

  The valiant warrior gripped the hilt

  And prepared himself to fight.

  The song of Fanon filled the air,

  Mournful as a child's cry,

  And when it reached the final note

  The violent tempest died.

  And all the world was silent then

  As he shrieked his battle cry.

  He spurred the beast, rage in his heart,

  And death was in his eye.

  Across the cold black moor they raced,

  The warrior on his steed,

  And fate hung 'round him like a cloak

  Balanced on his deed.

  He drew the war horse to a halt

  Outside the great stone wall,

  And leaping from his saddled cried,

  "Nomis, Nomig, Nomall!"

  Then at his side the brotherhood

  Of Sayon grimly stood,

  Their bony faces glowing white

  Beneath their dark green hoods.

  So solemnly they ringed the tower;

  Their hands pressed 'ginst the stone,

  And muttered spells, enchanted runes,

  In gruffy undertones,

  That caused the battlements to shake

  And quiver 'til they cracked.

  The great door burst its metal bonds

  And the Sayons faded back.

  Alone, the mighty warrior stood,

  His sword was glowing white

  As Tarrel huddled in the dark

  And shivered in his fright.

  The captain gathered up his troops;

  In haste they drew their swords.

  The gallant warrior gave salute

  Then flew into the horde.

  The metal clang, death's rattled shriek'

  The cry of agony.

  The blood, the sweat, the liquid fear,

  The horror of man's debris.

  How sickening the hall became;

  How sickening was death.

  So revolting was the stench that rose,

  The black knight held his breath.

  He waded through the blood and gore

  To twisted, winding stairs

  That led to an inner chamber,

  And Terral waited there.

  With metal foot the hero kicked

  The oaken door aside.

  A wicked barb-end lance went woosh

  And cut him in mid-stride.

  His noble breast was ripped and torn;

  His heart was split in half.

  Surprise, then rage played on his face;

  He broke the wooden shaft.

  Tossing it away, he raised

  His sword above his head.

  His wrath was horrible to see;

  The room was soaked in red.

  What was left of the evil Terral,

  Could fit into one hand.

  He'd broke the bonds of tyranny

  And freed a desperate land.

  Though dying, still he stumbled down

  And climbed upon his horse.

  Like a silent ship that sails the seas,

  'Long the road he set his course,

  To the shining tower of Sayon

  Across the purple moor,

  Through the winding streets of the town,

  Towards the rocky shore.

  As flames fanned by the western wind,

  The word spread through the town.

  From every shop and every house

  The people gathered 'round.

  Like timid rabbits, poised for flight,

  They lined the streets and stared;

  Uncertain of the future now,

  Their hearts were filled with terr'r.

  For though the villain Terral's rule

  Was harsh and cruel and grim,

  Still everything was decided

  Without a thought from them.

  And who would do their thinking now?

  Their futures loomed unclear.

  And as he passed, breathing his last,

  Not one man even cheered.

  ***

  Sing In The Sunshine

  Sing in the sunshine,

  Dance in the shade.

  All lads and lassies

  Come meet in the glade.

  Young love is the reason

  The springtime was made.

  Come all lads and lassies,

  Do as you're bade.

  Sing in the sunshine

  Before it fades.

  Love in the shadows,

  Don't be afraid,

  For old age is the time

  When all debts should be paid,

  And youth is expected

  Sometimes to stray.

&
nbsp; Love in the sunshine,

  Untangle your braids

  Beneath the great trees

  As green as jade.

  The daylight is waning

  And shadows will play

  On the face of your lover

  At close of day.

  ***

  The Bed

  They were gathered around the fire that night

  And all of the spirits were locked out tight,

  When the old man looked around and said,

  "Who the hell tore up the bed?"

  But no one there would dare admit

  He'd e'en been in the same room with it.

  Their eyes rolled innocently 'round the room,

  'Til the old man fetched the great straw broom

  And he beat them soundly one by one,

  And kicked their pants when he was done.

  Then finally the youngest said,

  "I don't give a damn about the bed!"

  And the old man's heart was truly broke

  When he heard the words his son had spoke.

  He clutched his chest and gave a sigh;

  A small tear trickled from his eye.

  "Oh, what's to become of us all," he said,

  "When a man's own sons tear up the bed?"

  ***

  The Black Ship

  The ragged clouds tore 'cross the sky

  And the black ship seemed to almost fly,

  As it cut its way through the pounding waves

  In search of souls to make it's slaves,

  And old sea dogs fell on their knees

  When black sails billowed in the breeze.

  'Twas said the cruelest pirates sailed

  On that vile ship from the port of Hell,

  And on the bridge, in a velvet coat,

  Stood Satan, captain of the boat.

  'Twas the fourth of June in 'eighty-three;

  The fog was thick on Greenway Sea,

  Nerves were strung tight among the crew

  When the good ship, Maggie Rose, broke through

  Into a patch of clear, grey sea.

  The water's motion seemed to cease.

  They'd lost the wind and the sails hung slack,

  As empty as a beggar's sack,

  When bearing down upon them came

  The ship from Hell that had no name.

  'Cross the flat mirrored sea, its black hull sliced

  And each man's heart was turned to ice.

  Numb with fear, they shrieked their pleas

  And fell to the deck upon their knees.

  Then o'er the cries of the half-mad crowd

  A voice rang out, strong and proud,

  "They'll not take us without a fight!

  Get off your knees, you cowardly blight!"

  They stopped their frantic mumbled prayers

  And turned to gaze at the wooden stairs

  That led to the bridge, where, cutlass raised

  Stood a young lieutenant, tall and brave.

  They met the challenge in his eyes

  As he commanded them once again to rise.

  They drew their weapons, once more men,

  And the pirate ship bore down on them.

  The commander rose to his feet, ashamed

  Of his weakness, shouting, "Take your aim,

  Gun captains! Fire!" The cannons roared,

  Grey smoke rose and the black balls soared.

  The black ship brought its broadside round;

  It's bristling guns began to pound

  The Maggie Rose, as she pulled to port

  And Satan swore he would abort

  Their efforts to cross the black ship's stern,

  As he maneuvered his ship in turn.

  The battle became a duel of wits,

  While cannons shattered both the ships.

  The range was close, the damage great,

  And the wounded screamed from the bloody planks.

  The devil ordered his grappling cast;

  It hooked the Rose and held her fast.

  At this point in the battle's rage

  It reached a much more violent stage,

  For musket fire and thrown grenades

  Kept the decks near-cleared durin' the fusillades.

  And all the while the cannon's blazed

  On both the ships at point-blank range.

  There was fire and smoke and the blood ran red,

  Screams from the wounded, silence from the dead.

  It seemed there was not an inch unhit;

  The woodwork was all smashed to bits

  And strewn over half the ocean.

  Then amid the carnage and commotion

  The hand of God reached down from heaven

  To aid a seaman who was mannin'

  The Rose's tops, for his hand-grenade

  Went directly down the black's hatchway.

  Exploding ammo set the ship a-fire,

  The mainmast cracked and the flames shot higher.

  On the Rose they could hear the crackling beams,

  Their eyes fiery red from the smoke and steam,

  And they heard the curses of evil men

  When they found the devil'd abandoned them.

  Then a few feet away, on the deck of the black

  They saw the form of a pirate jack.

  He shouted, "We give and ask for quarter!"

  "All I'll give to you, sir, is the water!"

  The commander shouted; the cannons roared

  And they sent them down to the ocean's floor.

  ***

  The Cause

  We fought and we clawed,

  Like a band of outlaws,

  And we laid down our lives for the cause.

  While they dangled the prize

  Before our blind eyes,

  And we trusted in all of their lies.

  There were none more naive

  Than we who believed,

  And we valued their words of deceit.

  For a small crumb of praise

  We marched off to our graves,

  Surrendering our last precious days.

  And then it was done,

  Long before it was won,

  They sold us out, each mother's son.

  We were all sacrificed

  On their altar of lies,

  And a fragment of power their price.

  ***

  The Conquered

  There's war a-comin' the old folk say

  And all the young men will be gone,

  Marching in ranks, step by step,

  In time to the warrior's drum.

  We'll stand by the road to see them off,

  Wave our banners, shout and cheer,

  Afraid the thing won't last a week;

  Not dreaming it'd last for years.

  Oh, where are all the pretty young boys

  Who marched down the dusty road,

  Wearing their colours proudly,

  On that day so long ago?

  Where are the girls who danced at their sides,

  Their ribbons blown in the breeze,

  As they pulled them from their hair

  To tie to a young man's sleeve?

  Where are the children too young to go?

  They watched with envious eyes

  Their fathers and their brothers

  As they marched away to die.

  And who'll be on hand to ring the bells

  When they've made the long march home?

  There's so many lost and gone

  And so many now unknown.

  And who'll dance by their sides with ribbons

  Along the burned out streets?

  Who cheers for the young men now,

  When they come home in defeat?

  ***

  The Lady of Iseldare

  When you walked through the forest of Iseldare

  Did you see the lady with scarlet hair?

  Did she dance 'neath the moon, while blossoms rained

  From trees i
n a way that was unexplained?

  In a gauzy gown that seemed to glitter,

  Did you watch her as she flew and flittered,

  Gliding gracefully between the oaks

  To the guttural tune of a tree-frog's croak?

  Was there a soft mist in the evening air,

  So you convinced yourself she was not there?

  But she was, you know it and so do I.

  She remains forever impressed on our minds.

  ***

  The Lonely Sentinel

  He lights himself a cigarette,

  The match a tiny spark

  That flickers for a moment,

  Then is lost again in dark,

  And the wreath of smoke above him

  Is invisible and still

  As he stands among the poplars;

  The lonely sentinel.

  He stands in every weather,

  In the snow and in the rain.

  His eyes are ever watchful

  And his ears are ever strained.

  He guards us with his vigilance

  And he does his duty well,

  For he's the hope of all free men;

  The lonely sentinel.

  ***

  The Mad Queen

  "Stop the wind, it makes me think

  And I cannot bear the thoughts that gnaw at me."

  The shadows hid her eyes

  As she tottered at the edge of sanity.

  In torment she did cry

  As she cursed the world and all who drew a breath.

  She pleaded first with God,

  Then the devil for the mercy of sweet death.

  "Why is it that the Fates

  Take pleasure tempting weak-willed fools like me?

  Oh, where is the sport of it?

  They knew before we started how it'd be.

  I found my way to power

  Through the path of blood's betrayal and disgrace,

  But they have their revenge now,

  For I cannot sleep but that I see each face.

  They grin at me, or groan,

  Or shriek until my head beats like a martial drum.

  And in that endless darkness,

  Worse than death lies waiting for me to come.

  Oh, where is the sport of it?

  Each victim whirls against my weary eyelids,

  And the wind is like their cries

  As they crawl, taunting, from the graves where they were hid.

  Is there no justice now?

  Where is the headman's axe to end my torment?

  They dare not kill a queen,

  Not even one who's mad and cannot sleep.

  They whisper in the shadows,

  Exchange glances, for they guess the truth of it

  But would not speak aloud,

  Pointing fingers, crying, "Murderer!" How fit

  That I, who sent so many

  To untimely deaths, should find myself so robbed.

  Perhaps it's justice after all!"

  And her bitter laughter broke into a sob.

  ***

  The Maid in The Field

  A young maiden sat in a golden field

  Plucking at scarlet flowers