Friday, January 30, 2009

A Different Perspective

Oh what a night, so thrilling and free
When danced we did, just you and me
We flew back and forth, with grace and ease
This moment I would in time and memory freeze

But my power avails not, for even while we talked
As stars shone bright, and in the garden we walked
A lone bell rung out, so clear and strong and proud
And then you were gone, before the twelfth brazen sound

And now I stand alone, here upon this crimson stair
Where have you run, O My Fairy Queen, Ever Fair?
Why have you left, so sudden and with so much haste?
Why did you not leave me a sign, a marker I could chase?

But even as thoughts of despair and anguish fill my soul,
What a wondrous sight on the crimson ground to behold
For there in the scarlet heavens glimmered a lone starry light,
A single slipper of glass, shining clear and bright

Oh the chase is on now, O My Princess, My Queen!
For I may be a mere mortal, unskilled in things unseen
But now I have a clue, of glass and memories sweet
And soon I will find you, again our eyes shall meet

I will chase you, find you, pursue you as none have before
To see you face, hear your voice for the rest of my days or just once more
To be your shelter, your keep, your arms, your umbrella
I will find you, keep you, love you forever my Cinderella

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

A Fragile Thing

Love, like a glass bird,
Wants to try
Wants to fly
Wants to open up our eyes
To show the things kept deep inside
Love, it hates to hide
But Love, like a glass bird,
Falls so easy
Breaks so freely
Fragile glass, that makes hearts cry
Why, O why, Lord, is love made
Of glass and not of steel
Look! Love, the glass bird,
Held so dear
With much fear
They had it, kept it without care
Now broken glass is all they bare
Love, it hates to hide
So, Love, oh my glass bird
Sing you may
But you will stay
No flying free, not yet, not yet,
Almost, wait, just a little bit
Once wings stronger, only then
Love is like a glass bird
Keep it safe
Keep it near
Until its wings have grown and come,
Then let it fly, now without fear
For Love is a fragile thing

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Some recent events in my life have had my thoughts of late brooding on love, its application and its process. As my mind dwelt upon the topic, I began reviewing all the recent affairs of love in my immediate circle of friends, taking special note of their haste or lack thereof, and came to the conclusion that while love, a secret thing of the heart, strives to make itself known as soon as possible, desires above all else to be set free into the air. And yet, it is so fragile, that if one is not careful with it, it will shatter and break. Thus, and by numerous other side branches of thought on the topic, the analogy came upon me that love is like a glass bird.

While I do enjoy the first five or six lines, after that the chaos that the meter falls into I detest greatly. However, those begining lines would not leave me be until I had provided for them substantial relations and cousins enought to support them in poetic format. Afterwards, I could not bare myself to attempt a correction of the work, and so I present it here for you in its rough and unaltered state.

Good Evening,
The Author

Monday, January 26, 2009

New Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Birds song filled the air as the morning sun steamed the dew off the green grass. Bella was woken by a large slobbery kiss from Silver, her golden retriever puppy. The dog was barking excitedly and running back and forth on the red dirt road. Bella sat up rubbing the sleep from her eyes. She wasn’t in the clearing anymore. She was sitting on a red dirt road at the edge of the forest. In front of her was a small green hillock.

“Where are we Silver?” She asked looking around.

She stood up and walked up the hill, following the dog that was running back and forth. The earth was wet and spongy beneath her feet. When she got to the top her eyes went wide with amazement as she looked over the gently sloping land.

“Wow. It’s amazing.” She said in a whisper.

The landscape sloped gently down from where she stood. The red path continued on either side of her, winding like a snake through the many green hills. Between the hills were countless small farms, all with large white plastered farmhouses with red tile roofs. Each farm grew a certain type of flower and the result was stunning. A checkerboard of colors spread across the terrain. Large clouds of bumble bees and white butterflies ascended and descended in the perfumed air.

Far away in the distance, the crowning jewel stood proud, a white castle with large white walls and red tiled towers. Climbing rose was slowly spreading at certain points on the five white towers and the side of the great wall. The two red roads that encompassed the entire land both met at the castle in the distance.

“Hey, you up there!”

Bella turned to see five soldiers on chesnut horses and covered in shining silver armor standing on the road. They didn’t seem very friendly. Silver growled and pulled on Bella’s dress. Bella got the message and began to run down the opposite side of the hill, into the field of red poppies. From behind her she heard the calls of soldiers and the gallop of horse hooves.

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The sun burned down on the slimy, mold covered docks. Lines of people were standing in rough burlap sack-robes, tied to each other and a large metal stake in the ground every few feet. Some of the new slaves were twitching and shaking with fear, awkward puddles forming beneath them, adding to the general stench of the slaveyard.

Stultius was walking wobbly across the pier, trying to shake off the effects of the last bottle of whiskey he had indulged before coming here. Life was easier for him when he wasn’t so sober. He belched loudly, snorted, and scratched himself as he began looking over the line of slaves.

The night before his mistress had visited him in a nightmare with specific instructions. He shuddered even now as he recalled the dream. There was a reason she was a Grand Matron. Words would never be able to express how the nightmare scarred his soul. But she had gone, and left with very specific directions. Look for the slave with the pale flower mark.

Even now Stultius was scanning the rows and rows of slaves, looking for one marked with a pale flower. He checked all thoroughly, but there was nothing even close to anything pale or floral on any of them. As Stultius staggered away from the yard, he heard a commotion from an alleyway. Two people were fighting.

The one was a tall, thin, man with a hooked nose and beady black eyes. His yellow teeth and foul fingernails proved he did not believe in bathing, and his short black cane he swung hard and vigorously that he did not believe in mercy.

The person he was beating was a young girl, probably only fourteen or fifteen, with fire like hair, blazing oranges, scarlest, auburns, and tinged with blond here and there. She wore another one of the slave burlap sacks, but as she blocked a swing of the club, Stultius saw her hand.

Her skin was tanned copper from the sun and its burning light, but on the back of her left hand was a birthmark. Pale and white it stood out blatantly on her hand, the mark of a five petaled flower. He had found her. Stultius walked up to the two in the alley way and as he did, he pulled out his deck of black cards.

“What do we have here? A little disturbation of the peace?” he chuckled and hacked a ragged cough.

“Wha ya want? You ah dock guard o’ somthan?” the hook nosed man slurred.

“No, no. Not ta fear. I’m just a humble gambing man looking for someone who’s willing to play my game.” Stultius said smiling as innocently as he could.

The girl was momentarily distracted and the thin reedy man clubbed her hard across the back of the head. She crumpled into a heap on the floor. The thin man gave her a hard kick in the side before he turned back to Stultius.

“I’m a waggeren’ man meself.” the reedy man intoned, “Come own in. Ah was jus teachify’en won o’ my new slaves a ting or two ‘bout respect.”

“She’s a spirited one for sure.” Stultius followed the man in through a side door in the alley.

They stepped into a dark room, dimly lit by a few smoking oil braziers. The air was thick and stank of smoke and rotten food. Stultius could barely make out rough, stained pillows scattered about the room. In a corner, a few sticks of bitter, resinous incense rose lazily and snake-like to the roof.

“Be’en spirited can be good. When dey know whose da boss.” The man said smiling, indicating several girls heads sticking out of the doorway. Their hair hung like cobwebs and their eyes were smeared heavily with black ochre, making them all look corpse like.

“Well now, what game would be yer pleasure?” asked Stultius, as his eyes bore into the bead like eyes of the nose hooked man, shuffling the deck of black cards.

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Nicholas was surrounded by white infinity, but it felt like he was in a small space. He focused really hard on his surroundings, and slowly they came into focus. He was not surrounded by infinite white light, he was in a white room. The walls seemed to be made of glass and the light was outside the glass. He reached to touch the white glass, when he heard a voice. It sounded warm and motherly, like a soft glow inside when you get a hug.

“Where are you little one?”

“I don’t know. I think in a glass box.”

“No, not the dream. In the real world. Where are you?”

“In the forest I think.”

“Which forest?”

“The Black Forest. The last think I remember was the green robed people coming out into the clearing,”

“Ah, so you have seen the Woodlings. That must mean you are in the Encircling Forest.”

“Who are you?”

“The one you truly seek. Tell me, so I can find you, where in the forest?”

“Well, when we came in the sun set to our right so we must have com in from the…”

“Nicholas!” Came another voice, like a chorus of young children.

In the middle of the room two rows of green stars appeared. They floated on either side of Nicholas, and he suddenly felt like he was drifting down a river. Or like he was being carried by many hands. He heard a sound like lightning splitting a tree, and his eyes snapped open again.

Nicholas looked around as he sat up. He saw Ivan sleeping soundly next to him on a red dirt path. He stood up blinking as sunlight hurt his eyes. Wait, sunlight! That meant he was out of the forest. He looked around as he ran over to Ivan.

“Ivan, wake up! Look, we’re out!”

“Five more minutes.” Came the mumble.

“Ivan, I mean it. Wait, how’d we get out?”

“Maybe the giant spiders carried us out in comfy web hammocks.”

“I’m serious.”

“And I seriously need five more minutes after last night.”

“Um. Ivan, where’s Sahrina?”

Ivan sat up and looked around, squinting.

“Don’t know. You think the spider got her?”

“What! Stop talking nonsense! Why would they eat her and not us? And why would they carry us out here?”

“Do I look like I know?” Ivan said getting up and stretching, “The point is, we’ve been separated. So, now let’s see if we can find Bella. Sahrina is sure to be looking for her too and so we should run into her. Right?”

Klaus was about to reply but his mouth just hung open as he stared in disbelief at the sight that greeted his eyes. An old, faded red cart pulled up on the road. It was driven by an old, scraggily looking woman, with bushy white hair extending to the seat and a large grin on her face. She wore a large white burlap robe with faded red trim, and a faded red scarf to keep her hair back. Her milky white eyes stared in their direction revealing her blindness. And in her hands were two leather reigns that extended and hung on nothing on the air in front of her.

“Come now young un’s. I can sense yur der, even ifen these ol eyes of mine aint what they use to be.” She said chuckling to herself. “My name is Goodwife Aconite, the Healer. Are ye by any chance looking for a young girl and a hound?”

><><><><><><><><><

Bella looked back and saw three of the horses crest the hill behind her and two come galloping into the field from either side. The red petals flew in the morning breeze as the chase went on. The horses were gaining on her, but just as the gap was closing fast, Bella ran into the field ahead of her, a large sunflower field.

She was hidden by the sunflowers and crept stealthily through the green stalks and rows, trying hard to be quiet and listen for the soldiers at the same time. She heard two of them hacking at the sunflowers on her left and turned sharply right. She kept going until she couldn’t hear them anymore. Bella and Silver came out into a small clearing in the middle of the field, where a lone scarecrow stood guard over the area.

Bella rested next to the scarecrow, when she heard a noise behind her. She spun around straight into the floral design on the Captain’s shining armor. Silver launched teeth barred at the captain but a second soldier brought the heavy end of a spear down on the poor dog’s head. The helmeted Captain spoke with contempt as he nudged the unconscious animal with his armored boot.

“No one ever escapes the Royal Guard of Alexandria. You’d do well to remember that little girl. Tie her up. This is the one the Queen is looking for.”

><><><><><><><><><

“Phrek! Magga Phrek!” cursed the beady eyed man as Stultius showed his winning hand, and taking the pile of gold on the table.

“Well now, how ‘bout one more round?” Stultius grinned wickedly.

“Ha! I’m fearin’ that ya plan on takin’ all mine money!” The reedy man said thickly as he sat back on the stained pillows.

“Awe, come on. What say we make one last wager? A chance for you to win all yer money back.” Stultius reeled the man in, choosing his words carefully, a master at his art. “In fact, I’ll let you have yer money either way, win or loose.”

“Hmmm. Tha’ sounds arwfully temptin’. But, wha do ya want if ya win?” the beady eyed man slurred as he drank and spilled something dark and foul smelling from a rusty cup.

“Well, now.” Stultius laughed and hacked, “That’s the best part of the wager. If I win, then I take that slave girl you just bought off yer hands! That way, you get all the gold, and you can go buy a better slave!”

But the reedy man did not share in Stultius’ laughter, sitting back and merely stroking his chin. The young slave girl still lay unconscious at his feet, and his gaze now dropped to her. He snapped his fingers and called something out in a foreign tongue.

“Now tell me. Whay should I tek that wager… wen I can jus tek your money an’ keep my slave?” At least thirty guards carrying dangerous looking mismatched weapons hustled into the room.

“Have you ever seen a magic trick before?” Stultius said, shuffling his cards as if he hadn’t seen the gaurds.

“What are ya babblin’ ‘bout?” the reedy man asked eyeing him suspiciously and getting up from the pillows.

Stultius fanned the balck deck out in front of him, his cold clouded eyes sparkling slightly. In the next instant several things happened at once. The young slave girl stirred slightly. The large group fo soldiers closed in on Stultius. And the fat man grabbed a card, threw it up into the air, and for a split second all saw the omnous glowing rune on its face.

“Wha-” was all the reedy man could say before it happened.

The card seemed to glow and then it burst into flame, sending a large ring of fire outward, like a flaming wave, crashing over the guards and the reedy man. Stultius reached down, grabbed the slave girl and the bag of gold and ran for the door, the floating card still sending out cascades of fire right behind them. After everything in the room was sufficiently torched, the card reformed and flew back to Stultius, who had already thrown the unconscious girl on a mule he stole, and was heading down a red path leading into the marshlands.

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Sahrina clenched her fist angrily as she stormed through the last part of the forest. How would those two be able to even take one step without her? They’d be captured or worse if she didn’t get to them first. And then she would do a lot worse. As she came out into the midmorning sunlight, she found herself on a red dirt road. After climbing a hill she saw the two roads end both at a castle in the distance. A couple of farmers were in the middle of their poppy field, shaking their heads and pointing at large portions of trampled crops.

“Good morning.” Sahrina called to them.

“Gud morn tvo yous.” Spoke the famer in his deep bass voice.

“You didn’t happen to see two dimwitted boys walk past here this morning?”

“My apologees.” spoke the deep voiced farmer. “De only dimvit ve haf seen dees morn vas dat steupid captan of de castle. He ruined a whole field of de best poopies.”

Here his wife came in as well.

“It vhill be alright. You vhill see. But I fear for de girl he took. I herd heem say dat he vas acting on orders from de Queen.”

“Excuse me but what is the fastest way to the Castle?” Holly asked urgently as she noticed the tracks in the field were Bella and Silver’s.

“Vhell now,” The farmer said stroking his beard. “Both roads tek about de same time to get to de castle. But if you vant to get der faster, der is alvays de harvest road. It runs directly through de fields to de castle.”

“Thank you.” Holly called as she set off at a run down the indicated path.

><><><><><><><><><

“Oh aye. I do remember yon olden days. Back before the wick’d Queen Alexis took the trone. She’s an hard handed tyrant that un. Mark ye well. See how she works the poorfolk. All so she can send the flowr’s away an take most of the money. Tis truly a sad state of affairs.”

“And you say she’s the one who has Bella?” Nicholas asked as he adjusted himself on the faded bench of the cart.

“Oh aye. My doves did come and tell me all ‘bout the struggle yer friend put up.”

“Why would soldiers capture an innocent girl? It doesn’t make sense.” Ivan called from the back of the cart.

“Well, as I was sayin’. After the new Queen took contr’l, she passed all manner of strange un’ unnatur’l laws. They say she ain’t all there ‘n the head.” Goodwife Aconite said smiling, “But then, there are some that say the same of me.”

Nicholas and Ivan smiled as they continued down the path and arrived at a house where a farmer waved Aconite down. She came up huffing and puffing and showed the healer to his house. The three entered after her, and were surprised to see how large the inside of the farmhouses were. But even more surprising was how many people lived inside of them.

The famer showed them to a small cot at the end of the room, where several old women sat around a small boy, breathing shallowly and sweating all over. The old women looked up at the three, glancing only briefly at the two strangers before addressing Aconite.

“It ees de fever. Vhe haf sent two strong boys to fetch Feverfew blossoms from across de roads. But dey have not returned yet. An everyday, he becomes veaker.” said the first old woman. “Please, help us.”

Aconite motioned for everyone to clear the area around the boy, then she took a strange medallion from around her neck, placed it on the boy’s chest, and put her hand gently on it. Her milky white eyes glowed brightly, as her entire body, the medallion, and the boy, all began to shimmer with a faint white light. She continued to intone strange words, and then the glowing stopped. The boy stirred faintly, and she took the medallion back and placed it in a pouch.

All the people in the house gathered around, thanking Aconite and offering her all manner of payment. She refused them all, instead giving only instructions for further care of the child. Then she, Nicholas, and Ivan all turned and left.

“Wow that was incredible!” Ivan said eyes wide with fascination, “How did you do that?”

“Oh that was noting.” She smiled and her eyes seemed to dance with laughter, “It’s just a pinch of white magic to do the trick.”

“So wait.” Nicholas said reluctantly, “Are you a… witch?”

“Heaven’s no child.” She laughed, “I ain’t no witch. I’m what ye would call a healer. You could call me a white witch I suppose, but white witchcraft aint nothing like them dark arts.”

“But you do use magic.” Ivan asked, skeptically.

‘Well, the best magic, I alwas say, comes from mother nat’r herself. The wonder’s pow’r of herbs can do wonders.”

“Why didn’t you accept payment?” Nicholas asked, looking across the flowery plains.

“People oughtn’t have ta pay a price to live and thrive,” She said as she flicked the nothing pulling the cart. “Now, yur friend. She’ll be kept in the dung’n I suppose. If ye want to save her, as I’m figur’n ye do, ye’l need to get into yon Castle. I think I might have a way.”

><><><><><><><><><

The bees bumbled lazily in the afternoon sunshine. Sahrina was still jogging up the overgrown path when she came to a fork. She figured the path must be working around a field and meeting back up again so she decided to just keep going through the field. It was made of giant tulips, and she had a difficult time making her way through the rubbery stems.

As she was going along, she suddenly felt the ground beneath her left foot begin to give way. She jumped forward of the crumbling ground. Her heart jumped into her chest and she felt a ting of panic as she felt no solid ground but instead the rushing air as she fell into a large deep pit.

Sahrina hit the ground and rolled instinctively. Standing up she felt a pain in her left leg. It didn’t feel broken but the throbbing continued none the less and she knew she wasn’t going to be able to climb out. She sat down and looked around. To her one side, where the path should have been there were stairs coming down to the bottom of the pit. She looked closely and saw that the floor was actually paved with stones that had been overgrown with moss over the years.

Getting up painfully, Sahrina began limping along the paved path towards a wall of earth. She placed her hand on it, closed her eyes and buried her finger tips in the soft reddish brown dirt. Feeling the ground. Then she pulled her arm back and slammed her fist against the red, packed earth. Cracks spread across it, and then it fell inward, revealing a dark, unused passage. Slowly and deliberately Sahrina stepped out of the afternoon sun into the dark, damp passageway feeling her way with her hands on the root covered walls.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Winter's Ills

Just thought I'd share the wisdom:

"The woods begin to lose the beauty of their spreading boughs, and the proud oke must stoop to the axe; the squirrell now surveyeth the nut and maple, and the hedgehogge rowels up himself like a football; the fruit of the grape heats the stomake of the aged. Down beds and quilted cappes are now in the pride of their service... The hare and hound puts the huntsman to his horne; fishermen now have a cold trade, and travellers a foule journey; the shephearde hath a bleak seat on the mountaine. To conclude, I hold it a time of little comfort-the rich man's charge and the poore man's misery."
-Nicholas Breton's Fantasticks: Serving for a Perpetuall Prognostication(1626)

"People who are often troubled with cold feet will find a simple and effective remedy is to bathe them in cold water night and morning. A little red pepper dusted into the stockings will do much to prevent this unpleasant affliction."
-Annie Randall White's Twentieth Century Etiquette (1900)

Just a random thought of the day: "Winter causes mankind to grow cold"

Thursday, January 22, 2009

To the Serene Moon

As evening came upon a green hill I lay
The stars appearing at the fading of day
As I looked upon night’s inky hue
There among cold stars I saw you

You arose to heaven clothed in light
Stars even faded as you shone so bright
O Lamp of the Night, your face so fair
Yet deep in your eyes I saw sadness you bare

O Evening Light, as you stepped into the sky
Your face was changed, I know not why
But this change in you has filled me with fear
For it threatens the night hours held so dear.

O Luna, say not that your face has turned,
Nor speak of anything but philos yearned
Daughter of Diana there cannot be a way
For I’m a Son of Apollo made to love Day

O Sorrowful Artemis, hear my words clearly,
For you are sister to Aurora, whom I love so dearly
Bow of the Eve, let not Eros draw his own,
For I wish not the Moon be heartbroken and alone.

Wednesday, January 21, 2009

To the Vulture

You crow and crow for all to hear
Pretending that you have no fear
You flew unto me with your cares
You begged for comfort and my prayers

But even as on my shoulder you cried
You picked at my flesh, open and wide
This betrayal has struck at my very heart
You tore my trust completely apart

But I should have known not to trust you
For you are a vulture and that’s all you do!
You fly about, hither and yon
Picking off flesh from everyone

Then as you spread your wings and fly
Of the things you’ve picked to all you cry
That’s why never a morsel I gave you
Yet you still crow, now of things untrue

But fear should you, O Vulture of vice!
For many have come seeking my advice,
And have told me things of grave starkness,
Those sins you have done in secretive darkness

Yes, I know of the backseat in the Asp’s car,
Yes, I know exactly, you went too far
You should have thought twice before betraying me!
For if your father found out, it would be a pity.

Fear, O Vulture, as you’ve never done before
You’ve stirred my wrath, opened the wrong door
Slanderer, traitor, know this one certainty
A friendship is severed, for all eternity

To the Screeching Asp

Your screeching song, O venomous one
Has convinced my soul of what you have done
Where once a friend stood so true
Now only disgust I have left for you

Was it childish, simple thoughtlessness?
Or was it cold and arrogant carelessness?
Was it maybe cupid’s arrow in your heart?
No matter its done, you’ve played the part

Your actions vile, your poisoned words
Have spread ‘bout lies and things absurd
I thought I could trust you, apparently not
Bare now the child your actions begot

I strike first at Cupid, for whom you dance
For now I will never give you a chance
And further still other things you’ll bare
For I cast off your friendship, I do not care

You’ve proved your loyalties are to your self,
I wish you no happiness, no peace, no health
But I say may righteous God, justice do
If you do not repent, may He repay you!

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Drip and drop

Tear drops in the rain,
Why are you forgotten?
Drip drop, drip drop
From where comes empty pain?
Tears by pain begotten.

Tear drops in the ocean,
Why does it all seem so wide?
Drip drop, drip drop
This steady rising emotion.
When pain and emptiness coincides?

Tear drops falling uncaringly
Or is the salt still upon your lips?
Drip drop, drip drop
Why are you crying little bumble bee?
And make the earth of your sorrow sip.

Tear drops flow like life’s blood
Where do we go from here?
Drip drop, drip drop
When walls rise in like the flood.
And the tears become laced with fear.

Drip drop, drip drop,
Drip drop, as time stops
Drip drop, drip drop
Who has wiped away your little teardrop?
No more to drip and drop

The Princess in the Dawn: Part 1

Just a short little fairytale I wrote a while back when I was reading George MacDonald's stuff. Enjoy!

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The Princess in the Dawn

Once long ago, there was a King and Queen in a far off land, who desired to have a son, for their kingdom was at war and they feared the king would be slain in battle. But after many years of marriage they were still childless. They sought every physician, wise man, and wizard out and offered them all great rewards if they could find a way for the Queen to give birth. All tried and all failed until finally the King and Queen turned to the Fairy Queen of the Forest. But they were fearful in asking for they knew that a fairy can seldom be trusted.

The King and Queen walked through the Enchanted Forest into the domain of the Fairy Queen, where strange lights flickered in the eternal twilight and all manner of creatures flitted about the trees on gossamer wings. And finally they reached the court of the Fairy Queen at the very heart of the forest.

There at a sacred pool, surrounded by veils of flowers and mist was a throne, carved from the very roots of a gigantic weeping willow. The silvery green branches were parted to form a curtain on either side of the throne, while all around the throne were flowers as tall as a man, with heads that glowed with magic like fire.

The Queen sat upon her throne, in a dress made of white lily petals stitched together by the delicate hands of small pixies with spider silk, so that the white dress glittered in the moon and flower light. Her hair was black like the night, with two eyes so blue they were almost violet. And around her neck she wore a single thin chain of pure silver, set with a shining star.

“Your Highnesses, why have you come to my domain?” She asked in a regal voice.

“We come because we have no other hope.” answered the king.

“Ahhh. I have heard of your problem. It seems inconceivable that you majesties should be affected by such a horrible malady.” The Fairy Queen grinned wickedly as she spoke.

“Please, Your Excellency, if you can help us. I beg you!” The barren Queen cried.

“Very well.” The Fairy Queen spoke as she curled her fingers around a vine that had grown about them as she had been speaking. “Here, take this seed. Plant it in the full moon’s light and you shall have a child. But be forewarned, you must love the child no matter what, for the child will have a special purpose in the world. If you do not, you will regret it forever.”

“We will always love him no matter what.” The King said resolutely as he saw the Fairy Queen pluck a seed from the ivy and step down from her throne.

“Hmm. We shall see.” She said facing both, and gave the seed to the Queen. “Remember, plant the seed in full moon’s light only.”

The King and Queen departed, and soon found themselves out of the forest, guided by the invisible servants of the Fairy Queen. And so the King and Queen retuned to the castle. When they arrived the full moon was descending to the earth, the stars still shining in the blue sky of morning.

“Hurry! Hurry! We must plant the seed before the moon sets!” The King cried.

“My Husband, we won’t make it. Let us wait a month until the next full moon comes and then we will plant the seed.” The Queen cautioned as they hurried into the castle.

“No! We can still make it in time!” called the King as he ran to the garden.

King and Queen reached the garden as the sky was turning from blue to violet and the edge of the moon’s disk was touching the rim of the world. The King dug into the soft dirt and made a hole, reaching up he grabbed the seed from the Queen and planted it. As the earth filled the hole, the moon had just barely dipped behind the western horizon and the sun had just peaked over the east.

The King and Queen stood in silence as they watched and waited, both filled with dread as the light of the sun and moon mixed over the small mound. They were concerned that the sun had risen just as the seed was planted. But nothing happened and so they went away, each with their troubles and thoughts. And the seed sprouted and a flower, like the shining ones in the Fairy Queen’s court, began to grow.

It grew for three years. Then in the third year, the flower suddenly wilted and died one morning in dawns’ early hours. And when the gardener and guard who had been set to watch it came to report it to the King and Queen they found the Queen in her bedchamber with a new born baby. All the kingdom rejoiced. The Queen had given birth to a baby girl.

They named her Princess Lily, and she grew fast for a small girl. By her fourth birthday she was alike in size, stature, mind, and emotions of that of a girl twice her age. The years passed and Lily grew into a beautiful woman. Then on her birthday when she was seventeen in mind, body, and spirit, a stranger came to the castle. It was an old, blind, woman garbed in black who was a servant of the Fairy Queen.

“Why have you come into our courts?” asked the King in anger.

“My Lord, I am a servant of the Fairy Queen, the one who gave you your daughter.” spoke the blind seer.

“You are not welcome here!” called the King whose wrath had been kindled against the old woman.

“My Lord, please, let me only do my Mistress’ bidding, to see to the heir she has provided you.” the old woman spoke slowly.

“Ha! Begone hag! If you could see with your sightless eyes you would know that I have no heir! Your Queen tricked me! She gave me a daughter when I desired a son! Now be off with you!”

And so the hag left the King’s courts and retuned to her Mistress’ forest, taking the shape of a white stag. Then she told the Fairy Queen all of the King’s words, and of how he had spoken of his daughter and of the Fairy Queen. Then the Queen took the guise of the old woman and retuned to the castle.

“Why have you retuned!? Did I not tell you to begone!?” The King fumed.

“O Foolish King, I did not believe the word of my servant and have come to see myself if you are truly as foolish as I have heard. Verily you have made an error today you will regret for the rest of your days.” She said stepping from her disguise into her full glory and light.

“I was foolish? I was foolish to ever trust you scheming sprites!” the King called without thinking. “Where is the promised son? You have given me nothing but a worthless daughter!”

The Fairy Queen stared at the King wordlessly, and simply walked out of the door. The next day, the King went hunting. As he was chasing a large boar with his huntsman and dogs it escaped and wearily he sat by a pool and drank deeply of it. A sleep came over him and soon he was snoring soundly on the grass. When he awoke the magic fairy water had done its work and he had been changed into a boar and his hounds were ever drawn to his scent. So he was forced to run for the rest of his life from his own hounds, haunted by his thoughtless words and selfish thoughts.

******************************************

The Princess in the Dawn: Part 2

*****************************************
With the King gone, the Queen took control of the Kingdom and raised her daughter to one day lead the Kingdom. She raised her to be strong and fearless, and able to lead warriors in battle. However, always fearing her daughter would fall prey to the wicked fairies, she would not let her daughter leave the castle yet.

As the princess had grown she has discovered that she had a special gift. She could speak to plants and enchant them to grow, heal, or do what ever else she wanted. She used her gift to craft a magical garden not only in castle garden but also in her room. The trees grew in through her windows and along her walls and over her roof, their leaves never falling, flowers ever blooming.

A year after her father’s disappearance, her mother became ill and Lily became the new ruler of the lands. The neighboring kingdom they were at war with then chose to invade, thinking she was a weak and inexperienced leader. And some of her own captains and generals also thought so, because she was not only young but a woman at that.

Yet she donned her armor, held her banner with the white lily aloft, and gathered her troops to her. She rode into battle against the foreign prince, and she was victorious. After that none questioned her judgment and all looked upon her with awe, as she won battle after battle against the foreign prince and his captains. What none of them knew was that because of her special gift, she knew things no one else did, for the flowers and trees told her all the movements and secrets of the other army.

So after nearly a year and a half of defending her border, she finally struck a great victory at the large river that separated her land from the foreign prince’s lands. His name was Prince Magnus and he finally came before her for the first time when he surrendered. But what he did not know when he surrendered was that he would also fall in love.

When he looked upon the beautiful Princess with her long black hair and pale skin and eyes almost violet he felt his heart melt. And so he began to woo the princess. But Lily, raised by her mother to hold all men in suspicion would not even give the lovesick Prince an interview or a passing thought. For deep down in her heart, she knew that she might very easily fall in love with him too.

But the Prince was obstinate. He tried climbing into the castle walls, but the trees guarded the princess well, and would not let him climb them. He tried stealing into the side gates at night, but the flowers woke the Princess and she called the guards. And so the Prince was thoroughly turned out of the castle.

He began wandering the lands, seeking a way to win her heart. He came upon a wild boar in his wandering and as he was about to strike it down for his meal, he heard it speak. And the talking boar pleaded with the boy, pledging to aid him if the Prince would spare him from the dogs, for the boar was actually the King and Lily’s father.

The Prince saved him and then the Boar-King told him the hidden way to the Enchanted Forest where the Fairy Queen dwelt. At first the Prince was skeptical, but the King convinced him to go. And then he warned Prince Magnus that he must obey the Fairy Queen no matter what she said. The Prince left and went to the Enchanted Forest.

He traveled for many days and nights until he finally came to the forest. But it would not grant him access. Finally he began chopping his way through. But when he finally reached the clearing there was no throne, no flower-lights, and no Fairy Queen. Only a white stag walked fearlessly through the clearing.

“Why have you come Prince-Boy?” asked the White Stag.

“I come seeking the Fairy Queen. I need a way to win the hand of the fair Princess Lily.” said the Prince.

“Ha! Boy you are not worthy of the girl! Look at how you have harmed the very forest that gave her life.” spoke the Stag, which dropped its coat to reveal a ragged hag with dirty hair and blind eyes beneath its skin. “There is a prophecy that she, the child of the moon, can only be joined to the child of the sun. Years ago another child-seed was planted and he will be her husband, not you.”

And then in a flash of light, the old witch had disappeared. The Prince was angered and returned to the castle. There he found the Boar-King and almost killed him, when the Boar-King told him that there was another way into the castle, a secret tunnel that led from the nearby forest to the royal chambers. The Prince found the way and soon stepped from the dark tunnel into the warm bed chamber of the Princess.

“What are you doing here?” The princess called in alarm.

“I am Prince Magnus, the one you conquered. But you not only conquered my armies, you have conquered my heart, my soul, my very being. I love you!” he said getting on his knees before her.

But before the Princess could say anything, there was a blinding light and the witch from the woods stood in the chamber. Then she cackled loudly before she spoke.

“I told you to stay away Prince-Boy. Now she will have to be preserved until the child of the sun is ready. I will hide her away in the light that bore her. You will never see her again!” cackled the hag and in a flash of light she and the Princess were gone.

The Prince was filled with remorse and grief, and returned to his home heartbroken. The Princess however had not disappeared. The witch, thinking she was born of pure moon light intended her to walk forever in the light of the moon. But because her parents had disobeyed the Fairy Queen, she was not doomed to walk in moonlight, but in the mixing of the lights at dawn’s breaking.

There in the strange land of eternal dawn, she began to think. She thought of her life so far, of her victories in battle, of her disappearing father, and sick mother. She thought of the kingdom which would fall into chaos without her there to guide it. But more than anything she thought of the Prince and his declaration of love. And the more she thought of him, the more she began to love him too.

The Prince who had retuned hung up his sword, and would no more go to battle or sport. Instead he began spending his days contemplating and gardening, for he recalled the words of the witch. And there he would sit for hours on end, simply listening to the sound of the trees growing as he longed for her in his garden.

The Princess heard of the Prince’s actions through the flowers, because as everyone knows, flowers are immense gossips. And so she decided to send him a message though the flowers. Upon receiving her message Prince Magnus traveled back and went to the place in the Enchanted Wood where he had seen the witch. And as dawn’s lights touched the world, and the moon began to sink, Princess Lily appeared walking through the forest.

He ran to her, and she to him. They embraced and pledged their love for each other. In those few moments their hearts became one. And he gave her the ring on his finger, as token of his love for her. But as they were still talking, the moon set, the sun rose and dawn passed. And with its passing she also disappeared.

*************************************************

The Princess in the Dawn: Part 3

*************************************

The next day the Prince returned to the place but she was not there. He gathered all his scholars and asked them why she would not be there. After much research they told the Prince that it was because of the moon’s face changing. He asked them how he could see her, if there was any other way. They told him he would have to wait a month or chase the full moon.

The Prince decided to follow the moon. Every day he rode or sailed for 300 miles until dawn, and then in dawns early light he would see her, hold her, and say good bye in the few short minutes they had. And then he would begin the chase after the dawn again. Over seas, mountains, rivers, and fields he chased her and the dawn. He saw cities, places, peoples, but never stayed or lingered, always followed the moon and the dawn.

For almost a month this continued until he had traveled around the world and was once again back in the Enchanted Woods. But this time, gone were the heavy roots and the thick vines. The trees parted as he walked in, and wearily he rode to the clearing by the pool and the willow throne, and collapsed from exhaustion.

Then there was a flash of light, and the witch stood before him again. She looked down at the sleeping Prince and touched her scraggily black shawl. In that instant she was changed again and was once more the beautiful Fairy Queen. A soft white light enveloped her as she stood over the prince, smiling.

Then the full moon and sun’s lights mixed in the dawn light, and Princess Lily appeared in the forest. She walked to the sleeping prince, running to his side and looking up at the Fairy Queen with fear.

“Please, can you help him? I love him. With all my heart. I can’t bare to lose him.” spoke the Princess near tears.

“I cannot help him. But you can. One kiss from you and he will be restored. But it will cost your life, your mother’s, and your father’s.” She spoke as the Boar-King appeared behind her.

The Princess did not even say anything or think for a second. She leaned down and kissed the Prince, who was enveloped in a soft, warm, golden light. He slowly opened his eyes and looked upon the Princess surrounded by the cool light of the Fairy-Queen.

“Is it dawn already?” he asked smiling.

“Rise, Prince Magnus.” Spoke the Fairy Queen with authority, “This girl has given her life to save yours. I think thanks would be in order.”

“What? No! Don’t!” He said, looking Lily in the eyes and then holding her close. “No, if you need someone to die, take me instead.”

“Take us both. We can’t live without each other.” Lily said softly burying her face in Magnus’ chest.

“Well, I can only permit one to live.” said the Fairy Queen, then smiled. “So if you were to become married right now, you would be one. Then both of you could live. Do you wish to be married?”

“Yes! I do!” said Prince Magnus glowing still.

“I do too.” Princess Lily spoke smiling.

“Good. Then I guess I will let you live, as husband and wife. You may kiss now.” The Fairy Queen smiled as she turned to leave.

Magnus and Lily kissed and retuned to the castle, where there was much celebrating. The Old Queen regained her health and the Boar-King retuned as well, restored by the Fairy-Queen for helping Magnus, and so they ruled once more. Magnus and Lily returned to his kingdom and became King and Queen. On the day of the birth of their first daughter, they invited the Fairy Queen to be her godmother. At the celebration, the Fairy Queen spoke to her servant, the white stag.

“So it seems you were wrong.” spoke the Stag.

“Ah. But I wasn’t. It only seems that I was mistaken. Everything went according to plan.” The Fairy-Queen said smiling.

“So you were testing them both the whole time?” she asked the Queen with shock.

“Magnus and Lily were not prepared yet to truly love each other. They needed to grow up first. That is why I hid Lily in the sunrise and sent Magnus to chase after her. Both grew up. And now the two kingdoms will live at peace forever.”

“And everything has been set to right?” asked the Stag.

The Fairy-Queen smiled coyly as she answered, “Yes, they will live happily ever after.”

************************************

The End

Friday, January 16, 2009

Seasons Made of Clocks

As spring’s flowers bloom around,
The sweet song of the birds abound,
In dawn’s bright childhood I found you
Neath blooming branches covered in dew

And time passed and seasons change
I’ll stand right here sunshine or rain
As clocks go spinning round and round
By your side, I’ll always be found

Summer’s sun kisses the sea
As sky blue waves crash ‘pon you and me
Growing up together in the bright sun
Destinies entwined, as hearts became one

And seasons change while time walk on
Reaping of things said and done
As sands keeps flowing in the hourglass
To each other we still hold fast

Autumns leaves fall in the breeze
The soft glow of life and all its memories
A long road behind us in golden twilight
Always together when we stood to fight

And seasons pass like in a dream
Lives come and go like vapor and steam
As their clocks keeps circling over again
When all’s said and done, I’m with you my friend

Here comes Winter’s frosty bite,
The clear stars frozen in the night
One journey finished another comes near
Together we’ll face it, I have no fear

Because time passes on towards eternity
But some things last longer with certainty
And when clocks stop ticking altogether
Our bond won’t be broken even till forever

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Courtyard of Stone

The Courtyard of Stone

Removed for Submission

Monday, January 12, 2009

Whispers of the Heart

Another one of those nights,
Where everything inside of me aches,
Just to hold you in my arms
And listen to your heart beat

Your laughter like the sun’s lights,
Soothes and shivers my heart breaks
You have enticed me with your charms,
The essence of your soul so sweet

Where, where, where are you love
Why, why, not here beside me?
Come, softly sweetly too
Love, oh my love, hurry, I beg you!

Can a child cry with none to comfort her?
Can a bird live but never sing or fly?
Can the artist see the sunrise and not paint him?
So also my heart cannot beat without yours.

Love! Love! Come quickly! Love!
My breath stops in my lungs!
My song in my heart is trapped!
Love! Love! You have undone my being.

I will run. Run. Run! Till I cannot run anymore!
I will jump, and chase the sunrise with joy!
I will find you, in your secret place between night and day!
I will shout from the mountain to the sunrise of my love

Because these are the whispers of my heart,
In the late evening hours of the night,
When your face comes to me in softest sleep
And I am haunted by the ache of the beat of my heart.

Dancing With Time

The room was crowded,
The people grand,
The night was glowing,
And there she stands.

He walked across them,
To where she stood,
His hand he offered,
If dance, she would.

Then one, two, three,
The music played,
In rhythmic time,
Their bodies swayed.

They began so slow,
Treading unsure,
The soft smiled lingered,
Embrace so pure.

Then one, two, three,
A quickened pace,
Across the room,
They flew with grace.

Then the music rose,
The tension grew,
Eyes locked deeply,
Spoke words so few.

But one, two, three,
The song grew old,
The pace slackened,
Her hands now cold.

Weary she says,
“Do we stop now?”
He answer as,
Raven hair bows.

“I wish I could stay here,
But we could never be.
Time passes for you,
But never for me.”

And so he turned,
From the room flies,
As one, two, three,
The song dies.

*************************
;
Just a curious thought of what would happen if you danced with time.

Monday, January 5, 2009

The Reflection

Many season back, an old man walked through the frozen woods. The branches weighed heavy with snow, leaning bent and crooked like his back. He walked with a slow shuffling gait, one leg limping and leaning upon his hard ironwood staff. His long grizzled beard, white with winter’s kiss, swept gently like a white broom against the powder snow. And as he neared the familiar place in the forest, his piercing ice blue gaze fell upon the pool.

Surrounded by ancient knotted oaks, gnarled and woven by the seasons into forming a writhing canopy of snake like branches, there stood the pool. The trees were dusted with the same snowy powder, the air sharp and crisp and hard as a knife’s edge. The old man in the faded blue robe, pulled the grey cloak tighter about him as he stepped inside the sacred space of the oaken weave. And there, neath canopied sky, in the dark of the folds, he drew neigh the pool.

The soft water’s surface stirred and scattered his reflection in many tiny waves that ran and skittered about. A breath stirred on the windless air. A voice calling in the silent emptiness. The old man stepped forward and peered into the reflection of the pool. And so the agitated surface became still. And the two pairs of eyes, deepest blue, looked back at him.

“The end of me has come.” Spoke the creaking old one.

“It is but a beginning.” Said the child in the water.

“You don’t know that. Nothing is certain. Men come and go, season pass by, the years proceed ever onward into the immortal folds of time’s bosom where there is no comfort found for the souls of men.”

“Some things are certain. Spring always follows Winter. Sunrise always comes after Midnight. The simple truths are the hardest to see, hardest to find, hardest to love. But upon them stand the entirety of the world.”

“Why bother? Everything is vain, futile, a voidless chaos of empty emotions and untrue facts. Life is but to move towards death. There is no joy left.”

“What causes your heart to grieve? Because you must pass? Because you are not immortal in body? Are you so foolish? Are you so blind? Life is but to move towards death. And then the greatest joy.”

“What are the answers? Where can they be found? What is meaning of my existence?”

At this the child in the water, the reflection upon the waves, rippled with laughter as his dimpled cheeks revealed rows of milky white teeth, his deep blue eyes sparking with ageless knowledge.

“You know I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise. I can’t spoil it.”

“There is no secret, no surprises left. The world is growing colder, ever colder. The sun has lost its warmth, the fire, its light. Darkness covers the faces of the innocent, and the evil ones pry upon all that is good and decent.” The old man said as he coughed haggardly into his shoulder.

“There, there. Old but foolish one, I will show you one of the secrets you say do not exist. Where greatest suffering abounds, there too abounds greatest joy. Where greatest turmoil is found, there is greatest peace. Peel away the darkness and you may discover the light it tries so vainly to extinguish.”

“Oh! But you are merely a child! What know you of the world and its ways? I was once like you! Yes I was. And you will someday be as me too. And then you also will walk to path to the pool and sit gazing at your own boy and he shall speak the same to you. All is empty and inevitable. You can not see because you have not opened your eyes yet.”

“All of life is but a mere dream for what is to come. You grasp not my meaning, because your eyes are ever open. You have forgotten how to dream. And so you have lost the way to the dream. Let me help you, old one. Let me guide you back to the dream. Let me guide you home.”

“What was this dream that I forgot?” asked the aged man, leaning on his staff as he looked into the pool.

“The dream that one day the world will be bright and good. The shadows will be driven off and all that shall remain is the shade. That darkness shall be driven away and all that shall be is the glorious night. That the stars will fall like fireflies and be caught as the butterfly in her net. That children will laugh, old ones will be remembered, crops will grow, the sun will shine and the rains come again.”

“Yes, yes! I remember now!” called the old man as tears flowed down his blind eyes. “I remember what it was like to dream! That one day the sword shall be beaten into the plow and never strike down again. That the fire shall only warm, never burn. That the rainbow will stand still and its end be found. But no! It cannot be! My many years in the world has taught me that fire burns and rainbows ever run from you.”

“Shh. Be still. Grasp the dream again. Take hold once more. Remember the dream of the light. The pure, undefiled, unending, guiding light that once shone so brightly in your heart and mind. Find the light. Grasp the light. Never let it go again. For where there is light there is hope.”

The old one fell on his knees, crying in a croaked voice as he called, “Find the Light! Grasp the Light! Never let it go! Because! Where there is Light! There is Hope!”

The warm sun rose over the woven oaks. From its mists a young boy walked forth. He was garbed in a bright blue robe with a black mantel upon his back. His deep blue eyes scanned the horizon as the breath of a new year filled his lungs. He walked from the pool and into the morning light. And as he did, he knew he had found the light, and would never let it go.

Friday, January 2, 2009

A Candle’s Decision

Two candles sat ‘pon the window sill,
As the eve came.
Both tall and white, waiting night’s thrills
Both the same.
One turned and said to the other,
“Twilt be dark soon.”
The second turned unto her brother,
“So comes our ruin.”
“Nay sister dear, ye look not right.”
Spoke the brother.
“For we were made to light the night.”
Answered the other.
“The nightlong hours are cold and bitter.”
She said softly.
“With measured strength my flame will flicker,
Shine not roughly.”
“Sister, sister, so dear to my heart,
Say not so!
For are we not candles made with art,
To shine not glow.”
“Brother, O brother head my pleas,
Ere we are lit,
Conserve your fuel whilst you appease!”
“I shan’t do it.
For my part, here comes the flame,
I am resolved,
The brightest flame shall be my aim.”
Lit were both involved.
The brother flame shone with all his might,
And then all saw,
And admired greatly his bountiful light,
Desiring more.
But the sister’s light was dull and small,
Almost unseen.
After the first hour she was forgotten by all,
Her flame so lean.
The night wore on with hours long on the sill,
Near night’s middle,
The brightly shining brother drooped looking ill,
His wick had whittled,
But the sister flame still stood tall and proud,
As her brother died,
Her soft glow endured through thick night’s shroud
Waxen tears cried.
Till dawn’s light drew near and came the sun,
And all did see,
Her flame was used to light the fire to feed and warm everyone,
For wise was she,
Yet as they sat round the fire they spoke of night,
One to another,
And all still remembered the bright light,
From her brother.