the devil in the details
retain the written
cast off the spoken
like the table scraps from
some dark kings feast
his richly clad hands gripping the meat
with stranglehold
the other clutching the spilled wine
his rages echo in stone hall
pronouncements of beheadings
and tax collectors greedy hand

poor king john and the riddles three
poor king john and his bride to be
poor king john and the fate he did not foresee

it was a bright kingdom
long ago
its glory days faded but still it shone brightly
rich in its fair folk and fertile lands
sit down here by the fire
take your ease
let me spin you a tale
let me weave you a storybook kingdoms dark fall
drink up your wine and steel your heart
for its a tale of a king
of love and lust
betrayal and blood
its a cautionary tale
of a young princess and the bright hopes
that blinded her
to the terrible man she loved

poor king john and the riddles three
poor king john and his bride to be
poor king john and the fate he did not foresee

she had come across the channel waters
in fine sailing ships
stood in the deck expectant eye to the distant shore
in her lace and silks and jewels a three
her hair flowing like a river of dark chocolate
her eyes of crisp blue
she was the finest of maidens
a princess caring and true
the kindest heart and the wisest mind
she thought she was destined to be a queen
but fate has terrible twists cruel and careless
cry now for this sweet princess

poor king john and the riddles three
poor king john and his bride to be
poor king john and the fate he did not foresee

all these years later it is a tale had to speak
so sit yourself down here by the warmth of the fire
gather the courage of your heart
for this is a tale to test the strongest not to break to tears
this is the tale
of king john and the kingdom of the forest

poor king john and the riddles three
poor king john and his bride to be
poor king john and the fate he did not foresee