KnightlyTalesbyTomHughes

The Beginning

A poet in heart and spirit,
this is the role he needs.
Now he only writes,
of adventure and noble deeds.

He was born of royal blood,
a knight he was trained to be.
Defending a lady's honor,
he lived by chivalry.

Tired of all the bloodshed,
the pain was too much to bear.
The loneliness inside his heart
wracked him with despair.

Pain comes in many forms,
in a fair Maiden or a foe.
Though wounds heal very quickly,
those of the heart will always show.

In solitude he now sits,
the shields of the past discarded.
The tunic of a sage is donned,
the life of the knight departed.

The Lady

While he quietly sat,
He pondered a line he had versed.
It was becoming more difficult,
sometimes he felt he was cursed.

Into his life she walked,
a beauty fit for a king.
He sat in blissful silence,
as his heart began to sing.

Where did she come from,
this lady of royal grace?
Surely a far foreign land,
for she was not of this place.

As the days drifted on,
he'd seen her many times.
She soon became the subject
of his many songs and rhymes.

He heard the passing rumors;
she was searching for a knight
To return to her distant kingdom,
and defend her with all his might.

Destiny

Was he being beckoned?
Was this destiny's plan?
Once more to endure the armor?
Was fate playing with this man?

Never one to walk away
when honor was at stake.
He needed to defend her,
yet prayed it's not a mistake.

So he made his way to the closet,
where the haunted memories slept.
He awakened all his demons,
where in the armor they were kept.

Kneeling down before her,
he pledged a loyal vow--
to be her humble servant,
if she would so allow.

She accept his offer graciously,
and offers him her hand.
He kissed it very gently,
his heart she'll now command.

Tantalizing Travels

The journey was quite tedious,
but it was one he gladly took.
For every time that she was near,
his heart quivered and shook.

But she always stayed aloof,
she never let him in.
She always seemed to back away,
when his feelings would begin.

She showed him little glimpses,
of what she's like inside.
This was enough for his lonely heart,
and allow sadness to subside.

They traveled on together,
down the winding roads and fields
He felt the weight of his armor,
but ignored the demons it yields.

After many weeks of travel,
the last day he decided to write.
He put down his feelings in verse,
thoughts unworthy of a knight.

The Tournament

When their journey concluded.,
the knight took his place.
The tournament started early,
with him defending her grace.

The battles were hard fought,
he was hurt so many times.
But he fought on like a warrior,
those of legends and rhymes.

Tales forever will be told,
of the glories from that day.
The bravery of a young knight.
who kept all comers at bay.

Honor was at stake he knew,
it was a quest he felt was just.
Bleeding and wounded he kept going,
because he knew he must.

Battle weary and broken,
the final challenge was near.
He looked around for the lady,
then everything became clear.

She sat with a noble prince of a man,
his hand entwined with hers.
The knight sees love's battle lost,
and the vow he now defers.

Honor Defended

He watched her nestle in closely,
kiss him softly on the cheek.
He saw the love that they both shared,
and it made his heart go weak.

As the tears flowed unchecked,
his opponent quickly came on.
He lost all track of time,
for his reasoning was now gone.

The battle ended rapidly,
within the blink of an eye.
He felt nothing but sorrow,
as he continued to cry.

He was champion of the tournament,
honor won with a defeat.
He walked over to the dais,
and laid a parchment at her feet.

He had kept it always with him,
the poem from that day.
The thoughts of a lowly knight,
she read as he walked away.

His armor now feels cold,
where his dream once kept warm.
A dream put to verse,
in a poem called "The Storm"

The Storm

As we snuggle in close,
basking in the glow.
I feel your heart beat,
and then I know.

What we had done,
was not what it seemed.
It was truly the things,
found only in dreams.

The moment was magic,
our feelings were true.
I never felt as alive,
as I did there with you.

Outside the storm was raging,
the rain was pouring down.
Inside we were in heaven,
we never heard a sound.

Our passion was explosive,
like the thunder in the sky.
We let ourselves go,
without ever caring why.

All of our worries,
and all of our pain.
Washed away that one night,
while making love in the rain.

(c) Tom Hughes, 2003

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