At Tintagel
by Michael R. Burch

That night,
at Tintagel,
there was darkness such as man had never seen . . .
darkness and treachery,
and the unholy thundering of the sea . . .

In his arms,
who is to say how much she knew?
And if he whispered her name . . .
“Ygraine”
could she tell above the howling wind and rain?

Could she tell, or did she care,
by the length of his hair
or the heat of his flesh, . . .
that her faceless companion
was Uther, the dragon,

and Gorlois lay dead?

Published by Songs of Innocence, Celtic Twilight, Fables, Fickle Muses and Poetry Life & Times. The legend of what happened on a stormy night at Tintagel is endlessly intriguing. Supposedly, Merlin transformed Uther Pendragon to look like Gorlois so that he could sleep with Ygraine, the lovely wife of the unlucky duke. While Uther was enjoying Ygraine’s *******, Gorlois was off getting himself killed. The question is: did Igraine suspect that her lover was not her husband? Regardless, Arthur was the child conceived out of this supernatural (?) encounter. Keywords/Tags: Arthur, Arthurian, Merlin, Tintagel, Uther, dragon, Pendragon, Ygraine, Igraine, Gorlois, duke, identity, switch, transformation

Essence of the dragon's breath
into the harbor creeps.
Gray, silent, with the chill of death
blankets the meadow while sunbeams sleep.

Wandering, lost within its drifting folds,
isolated from the world.
Cries of fears untold,
echo through its depths unfurl.

Distorted visions of illusions cast
tremor through the air.
Soulless victims on retributions task
beckon to their hidden snare.

Close your eyes, feel its cold fingers caress,
howls of anguish, to late,
your body shudders in distress,
bemoaning your impending fate.

ALesiach © 02/26/2015

I've been on the run for 500 years.
I carved a map on my back
of all the places I've been.
It's made up of all the old stars from my eyes
that no longer have meaning to me.

What a shame you couldn't have come with me.

The trees stand taller than the mountains,
growing up into the skies to touch the clouds.
The lady in the lake that pushed and pulled the boats
was a lovely savage.
These lands had no end.

I meet a man that lived on the clouds.
He told me the story of how he invented the stars
and how he cried the rain.
I never did run from the rain again.

I listened to the wind's whisper,
so low only for my ears to hear.
They told me to paint flowers for you.

So I took myself and found your stone.
Quiet, cold, and ever so selfishly was this sight to see for me.

I'm sorry your last breath was wasted on my name.
I have lost you to greed.
I wanted to travel forever with you,
but your state of body did not agree.
I took you from your saver and your bed,
and now I walk a thousand miles on my own.

I look for you every time the sun
falls down,
but knowing I'm lost in the moon's glow.

I would give all for you
to be here with me.
Winning isn't all that fun in
the end,
but now the game is over
and I stand lone a victor.

I painted you a garden of the most beautiful roses.
It's such a shame you'll never be able to see them.

A mythical reality
of Presidents and Kings
Oval Offices, Round Tables
And the power each one brings

A dream of unknown future
Of what we wished to see
A fictional creation
Of life not meant to be

Magical creations
That lived just in our mind
Families so cursed
There's just remnants left behind

A time of recollection
Be it near or long ago
A true tale of "what if?"
That we all will never know

Brothers dead, dreams vanished
Future Princes of the Realm
Plantagenet or Kennedy
Which son will take the helm?

A Mythical creation
A place we want to see again
Is there royalty in waiting?
To be the leader of free men

(Dragon)
Man of white as my wings flow, beware my breath in
Jest, as I will breath anger upon your robed chest.
Never question the fire that lights from inside.

A stick will burn as quickly as a foolish man, I have
No time for morals who wish to see the light of breath.
For all will be ash as my words are spoken upon a draft.

(Bearded Fellow)
Fear not white one who graces the sky with sun set
Breath, eyes never see the truth beyond their perception.
We are of a forgotten moment now passed in haste.

(Dragon)
You are an illusion upon my thoughts, you are as I am,
Ancient alone in a world changing faster than we can.
Misunderstood of ignorance of this humankind, man.

(Bearded fellow)
We are in need of slumber, to rest, till the memory of time
Has changed and we are once needed again, words were
As power but now we are forgotten relics of a past.

(Dragon)
We will fall to the deepest of silent deaths till we are needed.

(Bearded fellow)
Now we slumber a man of cloth covered in white sheets.

They slumber till this day awaiting that time when, all as
It was and shall be again, sleep white & grey till the day
Awakens you, we will await that impending day...

There was a gap between the trees
And when I pushed through all the leaves
I saw a wizard standing there
With pointy hat and snow-white hair.
His beard grew down to his feet,
The most wizardy wizard you could meet.

"Come on son, you're late you know?
We don't want to miss the big show."
"Excuse me sir, but you really should
tell me if your magic is bad or good."
"Oh yes of course my magic's good.
Don't you know your in Merlin's wood?"

So off we went to see the thing
That Merlin called a great big fling
Dragons were dancing in the meadow
We laughed and giggled at those big fellows
Great wings flapped around ***** nilly
It made all the beasts look rather silly

Then Merlin said it was time to go
A wave of his wand and what do you know?
I plopped down, back at my tree
And there was Mom calling for me.
One last look, behind my back
I thought I saw his dancing hat