Shield Maiden

Neville

Shield Maiden

 

Though wounded and now lame  

She survives to ride o’er

Despondent plains still laughing

Coughing blood

 

Picking bones and fairly

Cracking seeds and scavenging

From pools and dew pits smiling

She is weary

 

While old redundant hedgerows

Thorn thick and bleeding serve

To nourish and defend her proudly

The night approaches

 

Then when she sleeps

She sleeps a fitful sleep beneath

Her shield and pon crowded graves

Still heaving

 

The graves of those she loved

And those once slayed in

Woodland and on battlefields

Still blazing

 

Yet forced to wander cold

Tho free from

Longhouse abandoned chains

She rides calmly

 

A feral child as was yet ne’er

A feral bride shall ever be

The tarot card and rune stones

Both decree it

 

 

  • Author: Neville (Offline Offline)
  • Published: February 19th, 2019 03:50
  • Comment from author about the poem: Not for the faint hearted....
  • Category: Unclassified
  • Views: 121
  • User favorite of this poem: SerenWise.
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Comments7

  • orchidee

    Oohh what's she up to there, battling on? She certainly 'gets out more' - like I should do! Did she 'get her coat' having 'over-stayed her welcome' somewhere, then go off on these adventures?!

    • Neville

      She is not the kind of woman to be messed with... let's just say this.. she is not ya box o chocs and a bunch of flowers kinda gall ..... N

      • orchidee

        Do ya know her socially?!

      • 5 more comments

      • Fay Slimm.

        A dark and sad shape indeed is your feral maiden Neville - - loved the cold flow of this shivery piece -
        - -a wraith of the tarot-card table so adeptly described makes a haunt of a read.

        • Neville

          thank you Fay.... sometimes my imagination runs away and the pen takes over..... N

        • sylviasearcher

          This piece intrigued me.
          I was left a little uncertain about how the author felt about his creation or the image in his head?

          It reminded me of baba yaga or such mythical wild woman ideas.

          There is a calmness yet a dread.
          An emptiness yet battlefield ablaze.

          Perhaps an acceptance of fate?

          • Neville

            Thank you sylviasearcher.. I like the way you read into words.. yes the unity of opposites has a certain allure, at least to me....

            • sylviasearcher

              The unity of opposites has a certain allure?

              But the opposites are not always as expected ...

              Perhaps?

            • 3 more comments

            • Michael Edwards

              A right shudder of a read that stays with you - fine work Neville.

              • Neville

                Always kind & always appreciated Michael, thank you sir.... N

              • Goldfinch60

                A lady obviously not to upset.

                • Neville

                  Absolutely cheers N

                • Andrew Charles Forrest

                  Dark and powerful Neville I liked it Great write AGAIN!

                  • Neville

                    I like that you like Andrew.. that means a lot to me my friend... thank you.. Neville

                  • SerenWise

                    This is awesome, I love the use of language and metaphor! Good job 🙂

                    • Neville

                      Goodness me, SerenWise, where did you just spring from.. Many thanks indeed for stopping by and considering this my latest scribble... tis much appreciated and true... All Good Things, Neville



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