An Ancient Knight Came Travelling By

 An Ancient Knight Came Travelling By

 

I

She met ancient knight came travelling by            

of dewlapped chins. Trembled his limbs

but clear eyes full, replete of blazing sky,

cries he, ‘I knew you once, my cherubim!’

 

II

Curiosity winged on red tipped blue

through black forest, where sharp’ning breezes blew,

recall false incantation once spoke true,

travelled her gaze wherever it would do.

 

III

‘Oh Knight, you are dying!’ proclaimed she,

whither remembering did not betray

on banks where wild red roses once grew free

under gloaming grey, upon butter hay

 

IV

quick profits she to harvest withered sedge,

with deft strokes fast fashions funeral bed,

high-minded nurse intend she rest his head

and bewail his passing, lament him dead.

 

V

Where lilies lap pale against rippled shore,

concealing in pastels all waters’ floor,

she did dress herself in shadows dripping,

vestments loosening and all smiles, slipping

 

VI

black-thistled bony hand his hand gripping,

‘You will not return!’ her sour words tripping

off syrup tongue, songs sung of ends begun,

his set smile slight beneath her arching sun.

 

VII

‘Once by enchantment’s rack did you stretch me,’

knelt he by sword, toppling hefty helmet

to rust forever where it fell unshrieved

by the weight of past passage overwhelmed,

 

VIII

bade condescenion by his wasted frame.

Shook she her head but there in shaking came,

‘you no longer hath me in thrall or shame,

but I speak not of anger nor of blame.’

 

IX

Flight perished leaves brittle in spoken looks

shroud sable stones grave, beside twisting brooks

willows weep of wild intentions mistook

and summoning shepherd’s beckoning crook:

 

X

‘my Cherubim once more, come lie with me!’

Gathered evenfall deep of watchful skies,

twinned hands praying have slow petrified

for ancient knights who come travelling by.