Feathery snow on tree bough gently shades,
the closing dark, wind through silent oak,
shadow's stretch reaching o'er the twilight glades
an ever constant curdling chill evoke!
Frozen cheek, bitter cold and deadly still
lest fear betray the haven of the night,
she lay in wait clung tight to earthly strand
of hope. Terror stalking, a white heart's shrill
pumping, a mind succumbing to her plight,
dagger, numb, in the clutches of her hand...
...Torchlight stalking, diffused on canvass white,
encroaching through the shafts of oaken trunk.
Approaching hooves bathed in powdery light.
Moonlight culled from whence the dancing light drunk.
Resistance from King Philip abated,
egregious thirst in madness, pursuant
of the remaining few who willed to stand.
Cold drawn steel and heartless lust not sated,
he hunted human prey. Riding fluent,
musket poised, in the cradle of his hand...
...Dawn woke the land with stealthy sullen reach,
vitriolic blanket of smoke and ash,
dull leaden skies of pallid solar breach,
snow coated in a frosted dull grey rash.
Alight with cautious striding steps beware,
paid heed lest lurking trouble try aggress,
the forest floor with weary eyes she scanned.
A mother's anguish, recognized that there
sat her child; a reflection of distress,
dagger, still, frozen in her cold dead hand.
-
Author:
Forbetteror4verse (
Offline) - Published: January 19th, 2017 19:16
- Comment from author about the poem: This was one of my first poems I wrote, started and completed back in 2010. The poem is set during the Great Swamp Massacre of 1675 in modern day Rhode Island. To get a feel for the build up to the story you have to read the history behind it first (Wiki has a good piece on it). The poem has 3 fictional characters set in a historical event to bring attention to the cruelty that humans do to each other for no other reason but for greed, power, revenge, and in this case is driven by biased opinions/suspicion. It details the plight of a young Narragansett girl who has fled the slaughter and hides in the forest. The second stanza describes one of the colonial militia combing the forest for any escapees at the height of the fighting. The last stanza is of a Narragansett mother next morning in search for her daughter, cautiously so as not to be heard or seen. She finds her daughter dead after being shot and killed the previous night by the man from the colonial militia. The poem is based on an English Ode form, each stanza is a different time of day with a different character, the first 4 lines of each stanza is dedicated to the description of the surroundings, the last 6 to the actions of the character. It was written as a tragedy and to honor those who no longer have a voice to remind us to heed the lessons of history and not to repeat the errors of the past.
- Category: Short story
- Views: 93
Offline)
Comments4
your storytelling skills are impressive, & the descriptions are fascinating.. I really love this, & I'm so glad I got to read it..
Thank you very kindly! 🙂
Well written your words drew me imediately to the next line. It . Envokeing emotion and thats what a poet does. Great poem. From a poet. Good job was fun to read...
I feel the winds of cold, chilly Rhode Island. Well done.
Wow, I had no idea it would be this well received, thank you!! 🙂
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