Poetry of SlyM

Right.
Here's a Poem I've been working on since August 23, 2001.
Would you read it through, and ruthlessly critique it?
(If you have a spare hour or two; it's LONG.)
I've put in Numbers for verses, so that you can refer me
to verse 37 line 3 as 37.3 or 37iii
However you like.

A Saga. (or Ballad?)

(1)
The night had come to lay it's velvet wide and deep
But Nungrah and myself were not too close to sleep
For we had just made love, and lay there in a heap.

My face was on her bosom, slick and hot with sweat
Our bodies both relaxed. Exhausted, glad and wet.
And both of us before were virgins, don't forget.

I felt that life was great; the best that it could be!
But I was sadly wrong, as I'd be soon to see
For when the morning came, She said these things to me:

"I can't believe we did -the thing we did last night.
I'm wishing that we hadn't, now that day is light.
Oh, now, to even kiss... it wouldn't feel right."

(5)
But I'll put faith in Time, and there my hopes are hung.
We life out here alone in woodlands, I and Nung.
A pleasant place for two whose lives and hearts are young.

I don't think I should press, these things so new and strange.
It's good to know how our relationship can range,
And as an optimist I trust that things will change.

Now See! My steady patience hasn't come to naught:
It's only evening, but the falling dusk has brought
My Love returned! But not as I had hoped or thought;

She stands outside my window, eyes all filled with tears
Longing for her love, but frozen by her fears.
I open wide to her. -Though hesitant, she nears.

She does not speak a word, but takes my offered hand
And steps into my room, and out of twilight's land.
To give some comfort I embrace her where we stand.

(10)
And somehow our embrace is now a kiss instead.
And now, we've somehow fallen down onto my bed
And now -and Now! and NOW!!! -well, what more need be said?

-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-
(11)
I slept about an hour in satisfied content
Then woke, saw Nungrah dressed, and asked her where she went.
She grimly said that our relationship was spent.

She said that things were wrong, that she could not ignore
And then "We shouldn't be together any more
So in a week I'll leave." With that, she closed the door.

Great woe! Then how the tears came streaming down my face
An hour passed by, but left me rooted to that place
I was so filled with sadness, hopelessness, disgrace.

And now, in such a state as I've described just now,
A man's come to my window. Asks "What troubles thou?"
With kind and gentle voice, he says "My name is Tau."

(15)
I feel I've found a friend who'll listen to my woes.
To say to me "at times, that's just the way it goes."
So enters through my window, which I go and close.

I tell him all about our leap to loverhood
And what had passed today, as I had understood
And how I know that now, I've lost my love for good.

I cry "I'd be content! With only one more kiss!"
concluding my sad tale of heartfelt hopelessness.
"One more. That's all I ask. A simple one, like this- "

My yearning for a partner takes me in it's grips
And with a desperate grief I kiss him on the lips.
My hands caress his neck -as his go to my hips.

It's such relief! It frees me from my awful dream,
The total anguish lifts, then dissipates like steam
My mind is overthrown, and passion rules supreme.

-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-
(20)
The morning rises bright. The lawn is cold and clean.
My windows, like two eyes, look out on rustling green.
But- oh my god. Last night! What have my windows seen?

Was that Myself? Who started necking with a man?
Was that Myself!? When all the fondling began?
Myself?! Who then made love? Like following some plan?

I feel a stranger to my very body now.
I'd gone along with this? I can't imagine how!
Oh -someone's at my door. oh no! Please No! -it's Tau.

I tell him "Sorry Tau. I'm just not like that though.
You only did your best to satisfy. I know.
But never come again or contact me. Now Go."

He leaves without response, his mouth remaining dumb.
He's either hid the pain, or else is truly numb-
As animals would be; Accepting what may come.

(25)
At length, the daylight fades, and night brings heavy rain.
And from the darkness Tau has come to me again
His numbness vanished. Now he's fierce, and near insane.

He strides into my room and grabs me in his hands
And from the way he barks "You Must fill my demands!"
I see his inner demon, come from other lands.

This cruel, possessing soul has vast reserves of power.
He will not heed my "No!" In fear I start to cower.
But here's a plan! I say "All right. But first you shower."

You've walked here through the rain, and thorough muddiness.
My bath's across the hall, and when you're not a mess
My body will be yours, and all my heart, no less.

Suspecting no deceit, he takes me for my word.
As soon as water's running I feel reassured;
There is a moment. Quickly! While we won't be heard

(30)
I go to Nung, and whisper "Help! I'm so afraid!
That man's possessed. Now Please! Ride off to find me aid.
And Haste! I know not for how long he'll be delayed."

The danger's clear to Nung, and with no argument
She's left upon her horse, and said, before she went
"Be sure; With in five minutes, help will have been sent."

I go back to my room, and lock my door of wood.
If I can stall for time, then all is safe and good
But will this keep him out? I'm not so sure it could.

With lights turned out, and barricaded in my room,
A claustrophobic fear attacks me from the gloom:
This cornering myself might only seal my doom.

So I'll escape! Indeed, I surely should not stay.
And all the time he'd take to break the door away
I can escape still further, into forest grey.

So, through the window. Now my terror starts to clear.
The raining darkness hides me; makes me hard to hear.
But coming from the woods, a figure hastens near

-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-
(36)
Of course, it's Tau, and not a power of defence.
"I see," he Growls, "You thought you had my confidence.
You think I'm just some beast? That's lacking common sense?"

He is a burning rage, of deadly, angered might
And I have lost my hope, and all my will to fight.
I meet my fate: My life may terminate tonight.

It's only then, once I have sunken past despair
While Tau leads me back home, to take his pleasure there
Assistance comes at last: A hound for hunting bear.

It's come here seeking Tau, with senses swift and keen.
So powerful it is, so massive and so mean,
That never in this world has such a beast been seen.

(40)
The roll my terror would have regularly played;
To make me sweat and quake, is for the time delayed.
I have resigned to Death, so why now be afraid?

I just put out my hand, remaining blankly calm
And those great slavering jaws just stop, to smell my palm
But as I step aside, it floors Tau like a bomb.

It's swallowing him whole, and when it's reached his knees,
"How can you let this happen?" asks Tau in a wheeze,
"To me? The one who loves you? Loves you! Help me. Please!"

But I feel only gladness as I walk away.
And gladness that he'll never see another day.
And gladness as the beast has finished off it's prey.

But woe on me! For as Tau's mortal body dies
The spirit is not banished into cloudy skies
but moves into the Beast! and gives it glowing eyes!

(45)
And as it's thoughts of murder swing around to me
I vault back through my window, knowing it would be
Beyond realistic hope to think that I could flee.

I seal the windows tight, but can they take the shock?
And how about my door? I go and check the lock.
So, here's my barricade, of wood and glass in rock.

I hear the awful sound of claws upon the glass,
But will it shatter? Fearing this could come to pass
I look about for weapons, iron, wood or brass.

I've got to fight, if I can't further run or hide.
There's snuffling, scraping at my door! The Beast's inside!
I hear it run and then against my door collide.

The wood gives out a Crack! as if kicked by a horse.
It won't hold out for long against so strong a force.
And there's No weapons present, to my great remorse.

(50)
So I just brace the door, for what good this might do.
-I wish I had some chests to pile against it too.
It cracks! It is to late! The Beast is coming through!

I stumble back, defenceless, falling to the floor
The Beast leaps up to me, but not with bark or roar.
Just growling, it's upon me. Help! I am no more!

It's pinned me to the floor by shoulders, legs and gut
And makes a gnashing lunge to tear my throat out. But,
My hands grasp at it's muzzle; Try to keep it shut.

Yet I'm aware I've got a second left, at best
Before the creature serves me my eternal rest
So just once more, my own free will can be expressed.

So, seizing on this chance, I go for irony,
In choosing what my final act of life will be;
I kiss the lips that will so soon devour me.

(55)
And What!? But how? They feel like lips of human kind!
That certainly is not what I'd expect to find.
And then a change occurs within the creature's mind;

The kiss, our Kiss, has got the demon to depart.
This leaves a normal dog, which gives a little start,
Then wanders on it's way, with plain, indifferent heart.

-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-=:o:=-

The horror of the night is fully over now.
The Beast is gone, and I have seen the last of Tau
And some exhausted rest, at last, I can allow.

The power of my will collapses with a crash,
The huge adrenaline is burnt off in a flash.
-As Nung comes to my room, as deathly pale as ash.

From in a state of shock, she's trying to explain:
"It's been too much; The passion, evil, lust and pain.
I cannot bear it. No. I cannot here remain."

(60)
Escape is now the only hope that she can crave.
To go; Be swallowed up by night, as by a cave.
To give our life an End, as final as the grave.

I reach to stay her hand and keep her from this doom
As she puts on her coat and makes to leave the room,
But barely can I move, in my lethargic gloom.

And now, as in a dream, we struggle, grossly slow,
The only will she has is from her wish to go
And I'm too drained to argue, all I say is "No."

"Don't go" I mumble. Then, while tugging at her sleeve
We both get tangled up, and fall in stumbling heave.
And on the floor, I plead, insist she cannot leave!

In passion I explain that I have realised
That though I've come through fears so strong they paralysed
My life is nothing, without Her, most greatly prized.

(65)
If ever she reached out to Death with willing hands
Then I, as well, would leave with her for unknown lands;
The untold Darkness. -And, at last, she understands.


Matthew Sly
Completed June 9, Revised July 5, 2003, then Revised up to Feb. 22, 2004