Saturday, May 30, 2009

swords and shields


The clash of swords
on wooden shields

make two noises

the noise of life
still living

and

the noise of life
still fighting

11 comments:

runnerfrog said...

And a dragon there! Head and wing. A hymn to Saint George, my favourite saint.

Trée said...

Thanks Cristian. I didn't see the dragon before, but now, it's crystal clear. :-)

Trée said...

a work in progress second version:

The crack of heavy swords
upon the faded heraldry
of wooden shields

made by calloused hands
to the witness
of milk-laden cows
and courtyards of stone

these shields of mighty oak
slain amongst their own
child as witness to parent

sawed limb by limb
by hands calloused
in the labor

hammered and beaten
measured and nailed

the damage covered
in the hue of berries

this dead wood
protecting young life

protecting calloused life
the very life

now threatened

now making two noises

the noise of life
still living

and

the noise of life
still fighting

Trée said...

the day in poetry or the making of tripe:

When one's head
is up one's arse

One is the last
to know

although you'd think
the aroma

would be
enough


The crack of heavy swords
upon the faded heraldry
of wooden shields

made by calloused hands
to the witness
of milk-laden cows
and courtyards of stone

these shields of mighty oak
slain amongst their own
child as witness to parent

sawed limb by limb
by hands calloused
in the labor

hammered and beaten
measured and nailed

the damage covered
in the hue of berries

this dead wood
protecting young life

protecting calloused life
the very life

now threatened

now making two noises

the noise of life
still living

and

the noise of life
still fighting

with instruments

Swords rise into an innocent sky
like the handsome oaks,
fathers of the heralded shields,
they strike
cracks of silver lightning
splitting painted wood
splinters flying
before weary eyes
dull in butcher
numb to the hour

the king's men
and then I thought
hey,
those men have jobs
honest labor
government maybe
but a paycheck all the same

I have this recurring dream
the images coming
in broad daylight
clear as the Kansas sky

wood I smell
old
somewhat polished
stained

I feel the cool breeze on my neck
then the whole world
tumbles upside down
and all is quiet

as children dance
and bakers bake
and blood
fills my nose

Trée said...

addendum:

the suck of mud
everest effort
to walk

sackcloth blisters
oily hair
beard caked

on horseback
we hear
gallop as heartbeat

our life
measured
in lengths

of horsemanship
of breeding
of the rain of steel

may God
have mercy
on our dirty souls

Ms Storm said...

Firstly, the poem as published.
Skilled, it is both simple and absolute. Splendid!
Will be back for those in comments.

Trée said...

Let me know if you think anything in these comments should have its own post. Think of these various poems (in the comments) as photographs from the memory, snapshots of a day in a medieval village where there was fighting and killing and maybe a little raping and pillaging too. :-)

Ms Storm said...

The second version of this poem should be published, as it's own poem, for the original is perfect just the way it is. This however travels further down the road. Version two is an incredibly well-written (love verse two) piece.

Ms Storm said...

As you know, I found the up bottom poem thoroughly entertaining, true and the delivary is spot on for the subject. Short, not so sweet, but ace that's for sure.

Ms Storm said...

I just lost a comment, but to summarize
upon our dirty souls
The thought occrus, not for the first time, that you are largely unaware of just how wonderful/powerful/.../etc your writing is. All of these would look right upon the main page and I hope to see them there, and (daren't even think about Trebuchet until I am done here), trust that though I am trailing, I am following the path.

Trée said...

Unaware I will admit. But feel free to correct my vision as often as you like. :-D