Warning for violence
The Duel
Winter rages against the grain
A lone cottage stands at the end of a lane.
Animals bed down, huddled together.
Quiet against the wrath of the weather.
Inside the hut, a fire is built.
He stands on his own, brought down by guilt
His eyes stare at nothing, empty and dark
Willing the past to erase it's mark.
He let her go though his heart was breaking
She couldn't know there was nothing left taking
With her gone, how could he breathe
How could he do it, he just let her leave
Out into the storm she ran that night
When he couldn't understand her plight
A marriage of convenience he would've forced her to
Denying her heart a love so true
She raged against him he would see
With her true love she needed to be
A secret told in whispered fright
Before she ran out into the night
In shocked silence he let her go
Now a blood debt is his to owe
The man she loved would come at dawn
In battle they'd meet with swords drawn
He knew he'd fight though his heart was heavy
a demanding price his opponent would levy
True love's rage alone he'll face
A steady drumbeat for every pace.
They'll square off to take their measure
In a dance of death they'll take no pleasure
Steel will ring in the dawn air
Seconds stand ready so all is fair
Who's cause is just you might wonder,
a father who grieves or a love torn asunder
It will matter little in the breaking light
When blood is drawn to end the fight
No peace he'll know in his old age
He sighs and hands his sword to his page
A young life is over before it's begun
That makes three threads the Fates left unstrung
He wanders away not caring where he goes
He sees not a thing through the tears that flow
A daughter he lost to his foolish pride
Dead by his hand the lover at her side
Though he grieves most for one so small
The secret he'll keep from one and all
The babe she carried, her secret not told
Forever lost to him, no grandchild he'll hold
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 This one is a bit heavy, I admit it, but then, it wouldn't be worthy of the old Bards if it wasn't right? I can't honestly tell you where this one came from. It was written years ago, during my twenties. I must have been watching a lot of high fantasy 80's movies at the time. LOL It seems like something I would've done then.
The imagery is so stark. The father , an old knight so set in his ways, is unable to bend to his daughter's wishes. He feels so sure that he knows what is best for her. It's a common thread even today. Our parents love us, yet they cannot see past the child we used to be to see the adults that we've become. They want us to grow and learn to be self sufficient, yet balk at our need to be so.
The daughter cannot see her father's need to protect her from what he sees as an eventual heartbreak. She follows her heart blindly with the single minded vision of altruistic youth. Completely unable to compromise.
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