The Crusader: A Search for the Virtue Inside (an excerpt of an Epic Poem)

On through the darkness she searches the bones
Seeking the hand of her love;
Deep in the stillness, the maid searches on,
Petitioning help from above.
Onward she gropes through the flesh and the blood
Of the warriors disfigured and maimed;
She carries no hope for the life of her love -
For naught but his body she came.
To see his face and cradle his head,
Hold him close to her breast;
Shed bitter tears at her sweet love's end
And give him peaceful rest.

As dawn ascends the darkened sky
And the glow of morning breaks,
She happens upon a scene of peace -
Of death, where none awake.
Andrew is pierced by arrows, three,
David is struck by four;
She silently gives grateful thanks
He did not suffer more.

She reaches forth and takes his hand,
Her heart leaps in ecstasy!
"He is not dead! He is not dead!
His hand feels warm to me!!"

She knew she must act rapidly,
The sun was near the crest;
The hilly peaks that shadowed still
This morbid plain of death.
She broke the back of every shaft
Then pulled the rest clean through,
And taking his ankles with tightened grasp
Her strength and courage grew!
Pulling forward with all her might
They started across the plain,
A horse and portage waited there
To bring them safety, again.

Faint, a cry came from behind
A voice she knew, in fear!
"Andrew", cried the voice in pain,
"Come...die with me here."
Her mind now raced a hundred ways -
Must she return again?
Compassion and terror racked her mind,
Each vying for preference to win.
"David", whispered her own true love,
And she knew she must give in.
Yet something haunted her troubled heart,
Urged her not to stay;
Leave David to die this honorable death,
Take Andrew and run away!
"I'll not come between my love and his friend,
I would not even try;
For it would cause more grief and pain
For which I'd wont to die!"
So one by one she dragged them through
The moldering stench of hell
And safely returned to the retreatment camp
To nurse and make them well.

For days they lay near Death's cold door;
She tended to their wounds.
And tended to others, wounded sore,
Who made the grave their home.
The crusading band, now broken down,
Their cause but memory;
Now turn for home, most who remain
They taste not victory.
The commander and a few brave men
Remain and do their best
To help some in their recovery
And give others peaceful rest.

Conscious now, gaining strength
And ready to be gone,
Andrew and David share their thoughts
On war and going home.
David speaks of raising men
And returning to the fight!
Andrew's had his fill of death
"This war just isn't right."
"Your brother was no coward, son,
He fought most valiantly.
Let us avenge our Jonathan's death!
You'll change your mind, you'll see!"
"At least he's got a mind to change",
A voice comes from behind,
"That's more than you left poor Jonathan."
The maiden speaks, unkind.
"What do you mean?!" Andrew cries
With anger in his voice;
He glances between the man and the maid
And knows he must make a choice!
"MY love, your brother did not die
At the hands of an infidel",
The maiden's eyes burst forth in tears,
"T'was someone he knew well!"
David felt his heartsick curse,
His curse of blood-stained hands
And wringing them madly, he exclaimed,
"How oft must I defend?!
It is not true, I've done no wrong!
T'was Providence's will
That Jonathan would stand my way
And thus receive the kill!"
Andrew's mind now fills with rage,
"Why could I not see?
The change that's taken half your mind,
And nearly mine from me!
Now, through deceit, I'm driven far
Across this wilderness
To maim and kill these innocent lives
To set my soul at peace!!
I curse you David, I curse your breath,
May conscience tear your heart!
May your soul forever burn -
I can only mourn your loss!"

David cries in anguish deep,
Andrew prepares to leave.
The maid must bear her anger out
And turns as she makes to leave;
"You were caught up in the joy of death,
Caught up in the thrill;
That caution had escaped your hand
And Jonathan you killed!
You glory not in the cause of truth,
You do not seek God's will,
You glory not in His good grace;
You glory in the kill!!"

Deathly silent David falls
His mind recalls again
The look upon his true friend's face
As his life before him drained.
Sanity leaves his weakened frame,
Revenge is in his eye!
T'was Andrew's fault his friend is gone,
T'is Andrew's turn to die!
An evil smile forms the lips
From a vile, cankered brain
That gropes to plan young Andrew's death
With a maximum of pain!
"Let him die before my eyes
With a maximum of pain!!"

(this is an excerpt only)

Bob Curtis has been writing articles, short fiction and poetry for over 30 years. He is the managing director of http://www.people4people.blogspot.com, and is the president of Nexus Publishing, http://www.nexus4u.blogspot.com

For information on obtaining a complete manuscript of "The Crusader", write to nexushelps@gmail.com.

---

Ocean Heal Me

Ocean Heal MeOcean heal my wounds Let your waves curl... Read More

My Final Defeat - Fixed Competition

She probably can't remember and I know I can never... Read More

Learn About Love From Poet Rumi

In this modern age of technology, busy lifestyles, and obsession... Read More

Lima, City with the Stretched out Wings [In English and Spanish]

Lima, City with the Stretched out WingsIt's an ink-black... Read More

Mechanical Poetry; Part Two

What do you do when you want to write poetry?... Read More

The Valley Of Pain

We were exiled from the Garden of Eden. Its... Read More

The Poets Corner [Three Poems with a review]

The Poet's Corner [Three poem/ see review of poetry under... Read More

Motiff

Have you ever experienced infatuation with someone you know is... Read More

Choices

You can do and you can be whatever you want.... Read More

Daybreak at Pikes Creek [a Poem]

Daybreak at Pikes Creek [Summer of 2005]Daybreak by Lake Superior... Read More

The Exit Poems [Iron and Fire & No Heroes]

The Exit Poems [And Socrates]Iron and FireIron can be... Read More

Catherine Daly reviews Antidotes for an Alibi

Amy King Antidotes for an Alibi BlazeVox Books ISBN 0-9759227-5-0... Read More

Sleep, Dreams, and a Poem

The Incubus' Flash-lightHe looked inside my head And found a... Read More

Mechanical Poetry - Part Three

Have you ever read the lyrics of a Simon and... Read More

Ambiguity and Abstraction in Bob Dylan?s Lyrics

To many people contemporary poetry is a turn-off. The reason... Read More

Bleed

now is not the time to open open that great... Read More

Blind Designs [a Poem] and a Note by Rosa on The Other Door

Blind DesignsBorn today, gone tomorrow Like a butterfly with no... Read More

It Was Not Me

It was not me as I am now. It was... Read More

Two Poems, with Figurative Language

Says Mr. Dennis Siluk, when asked to review his poetry... Read More

Eight Poems

Out of the eight poems provided here [all previously unpublished],... Read More

Three Sweet Poems, and Two Not So Sweet [now in: SPANISH and English]

1) End PoemWherever you are today- Is where you were... Read More

Life is a Fantasy

LIFE IS A FANTASY!A pink-eyed rabbit, fuzzy whiteHops in bedrooms... Read More

Ceasar Vallejo: Black Roses [In English and Spanish]

Cesar Vallejo: Black RosesBow down your head ol' poet- To... Read More

Writing Innovative Poetry

Writing innovative poetry, the kind of poetry that reputable literary... Read More

Biography of Charlotte Bronte

Charlotte Bronte (1816 ?1855) Novelist and Poet.Charlotte was the daughter... Read More

How to Write Bad Poetry

"All bad poetry springs from genuine feeling."--Oscar WildePeople write poetry... Read More

Antidotes for an Alibi

Amy King's first full-length collection, Antidotes for an Alibi, insists... Read More

Passion and Poetry, and Life

Ironically, the passion that can neutralize the repulsion for difficulties... Read More

Death & the Supernatural: Poetry/Five Poems

Supernatural PoetryHere are five poems,-what I call-death and supernatural poems.... Read More

Three Poems: Phantom of the Rocks; Lady from Lima & Bell Ringer of de Copan

Phantom of the Rocks[Huancayo, Peru]Night falls deepUpon the traveler!Low, over... Read More

Five Poems from Home [And a view on the planet vs. the poet]

Five Poems from Home1) Remembering: Dorothy Parker [Dedicated to the... Read More

Become A Poet In Ten Minutes

Have you ever sat there staring at the paper, ready... Read More

Four Poems: Two for the Devil, Two for Peru

Here is some witty poetry (not sure if that is... Read More