~

He stood before the arching glass
as if by angel’s breath was blown
Her beauty lives though she may pass
of any goddess he had known

From there within a pocket slight
retrieved a vial of liquid blue
and raised it up into the light
so glistened in enchanted view

Upon his staff the gem it shone,
an emerald green did flood the room
Now closed his eyes in shimmered tone
with words now spoken, dark of gloom

“Return this beauty to her form
of daisy rush and willow feel
To cleanse the soul of poisoned storm
and sorrows cast as to reveal”

Into the chamber came the king,
he stumbled slowly to her side  
“Dear Shaman let your magic sing,
without her love my heart has died”

The sorcerer he cast no glance,
unfazed in stoic manner seen
“She lives still in an empty trance
not hell nor heaven, in between”

“Our time is till the setting sun
for on that hour all is lost
As spirits call the precious one
a beckoning of lifeless cost”

He raised the vial, tilting so,
upon his fingers several drips
Again the gem topped staff did glow,
then place the liquid on her lips

“This can not be,” his salted ply
“She does not stir, she does not breathe
As darkness wanders towards the sky
In amber moments to perceive

He placed a hand upon her head
to summon fact with tethered scan
“Where be the flask, her poisoned bled?”
*A sentry set it in his hand

~

The king now nary cast a breath
in weakened state and fallen frown
Within his mind a door to death
an empty stairway heading down

The healer sent a worried look,
a nervous sweat upon his brow
No words so clear his opened book
“Great Shaman, please do something now”

The sorcerer seemed un-amused,
a glance upon the poison’s urn
and sensed that something had infused
Yon windows, orange glow did burn

The sun had fallen in the west,
barely but a light did shine
Running out, this challenged quest,
clinging tight to borrowed time

The shaman, to his nose, inhale
then raised his hand, now all was clear
His potion short, yet not to fail
required now a king’s sad tear  

The monarch sighed, eyes drew back,
pale his skin was white a snow
Minutes move as seconds track,
the setting sun was ever low

“We need a tear drop from his pain,
complete this antidote on trial”
The wizard spoke in dark refrain
“To place within this waiting vial”

The king, his pulse did disappear,
so limp his body now it fell
When then one glistened streaming tear,
*the token needed for this spell

~

For what is offered,
what is sold
I hold you still this painful night

Of shuttered blinds
and canceled glare
safe harbor from the screaming light

I shall not move
a muscle lone
for fear that I might wake your sleep

Your breath is warm
in tethered sense
these shadows that we linger deep

In silent thought
to stay the plan
no whispers form upon the wind

Until the time
your smile brings
an answer to my heart again

So in my arms
this evening lie
till agony does take its leave

For I shall never
leave your side
in this my promise, do believe

Now rest my love
in slumbered fill
beneath these covers, warming blend

To find that I am
holding you
*until the sunrise comes again

~

For this of castled velvet throne
A queen does weep a single tear
Bleak shadows of this night have grown
To cast upon her heart this fear

Reflection polished marble floor
Her silhouette of humbled reach
Now shutters via nightmare’s pour
Alone of bridges fought to breach

Beyond the window valleys sleep
Soft candle flame in slumbered night
Flickering her pain felt deep
Burning through in cautioned light

An empty throne aside her heart
Its warmth now chilled of worried feel
That day her love he did depart
Read messages to long conceal

Her single kiss of cherished due
A farewell bid, pled safe return
Lost amidst this sorrowed view
And loneliness again did burn

As if the dawn had been his shield
In misty haze on moor’s harsh breath
Of forest frame it had concealed
A moment quick of arrow’s death

She takes this single tear she’s cried
Into a glass of liquid clear
This droplet of her love applied  
Her broken heart to wish him near

And brings this potion to her lips
Such bitter taste slow going down
A whispered hope in swallowed sips
To then remove her saddened crown

Upon his throne of gold now rests
She breathes one final moment pure
Her eyes now close of wishful quest
*To be with her sweet king once more

-

Behind the thick crimson and gold thread curtains
he stands listening to the din of the audience
searching their seats for popcorn crumbs
while roaming hands brush against the legs
of those sitting closest

The young girls get the winks
and free drinks as the old men
vie for position, straightening their hair
and flashing thick wallets
from stretched out back pockets

He peeks through the slit in the
fancy brocade drapes to find a full house,
everyone is here, the self imposed mayor
wearing a handmade campaign button
shakes hands and seeks signatures

Mrs. Broadmore assigns seats in her row
as the little people gather around, telling her
how beautiful she is while hoping for a glimpse
of the diamond crusted gin filled flask she keeps
tucked away in her left garter

The lights dim as the depressed sulk to their seats in the balcony,
broken hearts fill the back rows closest to the bar,
cheerleaders in pink lipstick and short skirts, the football team
all ****** out of their minds and the debate club collect in the center
while the pretty people, the wealthy pose in the front rows

He gets the signal as the curtain slowly lifts
to the ceiling on well oiled pulleys
There is not a sound as he makes his way
to the microphone at center stage, dead silence
but he reads his poem anyway

It is obvious he is no Leonard Cohen
but he does his best as he recites the verses
he has penned especially for this evening
Upon finishing he stares out as two people
clap their approval and the others whisper and look away

His shoulders drop as he leaves the stage,
head hung low, crumbling the paper he had read from
and tossing it in the trash as he wonders aloud, “why, why do I do it?”
A janitor sweeping near the exit door hears him
and shaking his head replies, “Because you’re a poet, that’s why”