November 23, 2007 at 8:36 am (Angels, Chaucerian verse, The dream of the Rood, asparagus, epic poetry, free verse, sailing ships in outerspace, space animals)
The SkyPath Crusade
A Science Fiction Epic Poem
Copyright © 2007 by Daniel Schilling
All Rights Reserved
Chapter Thirteen
She thought she heard some whispered words
Supined upon her bed
In ancient Greek she heard them speak
And this is what they said
“Oisato gar, theon atar,” (variation on the Odyssey I.323)
It mumbled through her hair
Her gentle youth perceived the truth:
A spirit now was there
*
A glowing light of crystal white
Cascaded near her side
She quickly saw that nature’s law
Had surely been defied
The heavens’ reach had sprung a breach
The seconds seemed like months
She strongly felt the creature dwelt
In double realms at once
*
The being saw a part of her
And her a part of it
The band of air beside the chair
Began to warp and split
The face she spied had never lied
Its lips were linked to truth
Their lofty lore would now restore
The fountain of her youth
*
“Oh daughter of the Earthling king
You know why I am here
To show to thee what soon wilt be
To quench thy inner fear
The planets’ chores and coming wars
Are not the news I bring
But rather now I’ll tell you how
Your soul shall laugh and sing”
*
“You have a fear inside of you
That’s part of human fate
The curse proceeded from that tree
Of which your grandma ate
You have a need to love and breed
Or else you’re incomplete
But if you try to love some guy
You fear that he may cheat”
*
“The burden cast upon your soul
Has plagued your whole race
Each girl and man since time began
Has borne it all their days
The only way to make love pay
Is never to reverse
The choice you take your best to make
For better or for worse”
*
“But now my dear expel your fear
That’s got you in this slump
I bear a gift that’s bound to lift
Your spirit from the dump
No other soul may ever know
If those they love are true
But yet the monarch of my realm
Will give this gift to you”
*
“I sing this promise in your ear
That you will surely love
A man so true he’ll cling to you
Until you’ve had enough
I won’t decree who this may be
Or how or when or where
But when you weep or fall asleep
I promise he’ll be there”
*
“Throughout his years he’ll wipe the tears
That drip beneath your eyes
He’ll wield the passion of your love
Across these sparkling skies
The things he’ll do in love for you
Surpass what others say
Though brief in speech his heart will reach
To guide you through each day”
*
“But you will have to pay a price
For winning such a man
In turn for this, a time of bliss,
He’ll live a shortened span
For mortals know the pain and woe
That living must provide
He’ll miss the worst by sailing first
Across the great divide”
