The Siren
by B. D. Faw
(With thanks and deepest
admiration to Edgar Allen Poe)
On a still day I went
sailing.
Soon the wind began
its wailing.
In a trice it was
a'galing:
Lights and sounds
resembling war.
Minutes soon turned
into hours,
Then to days of
ceaseless showers.
While I strained my
failing powers,
Vainly seeking any
shore.
Sought in vain to
find a harbor
With a windward
shelt'ring shore.
But found darkness... NOTHING MORE!
I awoke from restless
napping
To the ocean's gentle
lapping
And the shredded
rigging's tapping
Funeral dirges on my
door.
Through that door I
sprung and froze
As pungent fumes
assailed my nose.
And joys descended
into woes
When I espied that
fearful shore.
Barren rock and
sulphur vapour
Like the planet's
very core.
Lifeless now and EVER MORE.
In that fearful
desolation
Occupant of souless
Nation
Caught my eye in
admiration
Beauty never spied
before.
Bare yet barren
breast enchants me
Evil Beauty holds my
fancy
Feebly praying God
soon grants me
Respite from this
fiend of lore.
From this lovely
lifeless lady
Luring luckless souls
ashore
To remain FOREVER MORE.
One last time my mind
grew clear, it
Came to me this evil
spirit
Wants my soul: to
feel, to hear it
Claim this evil
paramour.
And I knew, as I sank
deeper,
If I loved this evil
keeper,
When I came to greet
the Reaper,
From my heart no Soul
could pour;
For, by loving Evil
Beauty
And, thus spurning
Heaven's Door,
Doomed must I be EVER MORE.
Then, I thought I'd
found her lever:
"Linger now or
linger never",
Thus, believing I was
clever,
And had strengths of
days of yore;
I then deigned to
take it lighter,
Pulled her tight and
held her tighter,
All the while my head
grew lighter
While my soul began
to soar!!
So at last took
leave, my senses
And fell empty to the
floor:
Soulless now and EVER MORE!!
So take heed, Ye "Men
of Vision"!!
Heap no scorn, nor
vile derision.
Let thy tongues make
no incision
Of the ones who've
gone before.
For your minds can
not accept it
Being more than
visions peptic.
Suffer now the fate
of skeptic!
And forever close the
door
To the land of wild
enchantment
Where the birds of wonder soar;
Lost to you
FOREVER MORE!!
For comments, criticism, more information or publishing offers
;-) or to just shoot the breeze, drop me a line: author@bobfaw.com
Copyright (c) 1995 by B.
D. Faw. This
material may not be reproduced without written permission from the
author. Such permission is not
hard to get!