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~ By Courtesy of Others ~
The Golden Red Lady, Sweet Beauty
Weary and broken, bars of grim stone
and steel I clutched, a stern cold-prison.
I drearily moaned, deadened inside
Flesh pulled from body, flayed by their chains
Dismembered and torn, Discarded and worn
They grinded and ground, no good-will was found.
Machine-like we grunted, grilled in the work-fire
Chains tore at me, tragically scarring me.
Day by long day, I dreamed of your touch
always I saw you, saddened and longing.
I dreamed of you lonely, Lady red-gold
The dream of your presence, panacea divine.
A scene in my soul, did shield my demise;
Your soft fair skin, a smoldering glow
Your toes pointing skyward, a sensuous recline
In a warm bed you waited, wistfully watching
The time crawl by slowly, a sluggish duress.
You stretch your arms long, upon silky bed-cloth
And dreamed of my touch, a trenchant caress.
All turned against me, in my grueling prison
Surrounded by death, with rind of the living.
A false face they had, fared through the halls
Of stony grey-grim, and grimy steel chilling.
In darkness and chill, dreadful winds howling
I longed to taste, your lovely skin warm
Nourishing me well, from the withered lands grey.
And through all this sorrow, I saw you afar
The air glows around you, all golden with candles.
Your heartbeat so sure, so strong and yet light
Your eyes shine like stars, sparkling like summer.
I saw you yet smile, smouldering playfully
Fingers to lips, your fair smile glowing;
Your hair soft-caressing, the curve of your back.
Screws in my bones, bruising and biting
I was pulled and hard-wrenched, wrathful but weary.
I wept for you long, but inwardly so
Until I broke free that place, prison of pain.
I survived that breaking, bloody and ruined
Starving and empty, aching and weary.
I emerged to begin, my endless trip home
I maintained my mind, through memories dear
Of the scent of your hair, that sweet elixir
And the droplets of water, dew of the morning
Flowing from skin, fair and elf-bright
As you rise from a spring, a red-dawn goddess.
When the time had yet come, my task there was done
When endurance had ripened, and reaped its reward.
I muscled free-strong, and straight I could stand
I set upon the road, sure-minded resolute
Now long have I trod, over lands laid to waste.
Wind-swept and beaten, wastelands of mud
Frozen and formless, free of all love.
Long have I toiled, traveled lands frozen
Ruined seas empty, rainless and barren
Cities forsaken, I see from afar
Standing still and solemn, silent the stone.
Still even now, as I steady my pace
Barren realms I cross, cruel-hearted and calloused
Dead kingdoms I pass, no crows overhead
To feed on the bodies, forsaken and dead.
I discovered the shore, a cruel churning flood
The ways of dark-wyrd, I wound to at last.
Wild seas wove, a wrathful cold-storm
Stones stood high, upon surf burning cold
Where ships sailed off eager, to sorrows untold
To the dark distance fared, dreadful and bold.
I know what I must do, my daring is tested
In I must plunge, a powerful urge.
Clearly I quicken, and courage returns
A lust for life surges, sinews re-strengthen.
Drawing deep breaths, into depths none now know
With reckless heart-freedom, my frozen blood pounding
To the deeper seas surging, doom-filled and daunting
Rising and falling, the flood-waves flowing
Down I must go, to the darkness unknowing.
My goddess I love you, my golden-red Lady.
Sweet is your laughter, Lyre-song is your timbre.
My soul will be kindled, kindness re-membered
Your eyes turn to bonfire, blazing and burning
My soul once so cold, sodden with sadness.
My passion alight, long night raging
I know I will live, once I lay eyes on you, love.
My goddess I love you, my golden-red Lady.
Always I seek you, ælfscȳne frēo
Grace me your touch, torment me no more.
I’ll carry you forth, to a fair-green glen
To your sunny-world bright, where birds sing sweet
And summer lasts always, and sorrows all melt.
By day we will walk, your white arms shining
In good cheer and fellowship, our fire-hearth burning
Singing from hills, and hollows and woods
Along with our kin, and kinder-folk too.
There mead will flow well, and freely to cups
And meat will roast warm, and many tales told.
And by night I will love you, our naked embrace
Firelight will flow warm, wane not in storm.
In the grasses we’ll lie, in lyrical sigh
Our passion unhindered, for the past has been wintered.
My goddess I love you, my golden-red Lady.
Always I’ll seek you, Ælfscȳne Frēo
Inside I can see you, as I stand on the shore.
The moonlight glows high, in my heart’s longing vision
Bathing your breasts, and brushing the shadows
Running gently along, your legs on the meadows.
Silver stars bright, shine on your face
Wreathing your cheeks,
in wondrous light.
Cool mist settles, on your still-waiting heart
The breeze slowly rolling, your red-golden hair
Amber and auburn, autumn so fair.
Your eyes transfix me, elation eternal
As you near me so lovely, in the night Summer-land.
There we will share, soft laughs and smiles
Secrets and soul-hoard, we’ll say to each other
Moving in rhythm, magic our drink
We’ll dance on the grass, dream-lovers I think.
There time and place melt, and mingle to always
To a lovely warm zephyr, a lilting forever.
When I leave this old world, my wounds will all heal
In your golden mist glow, your grace will I seek.
My Lover, my Goddess, my Lady, my Giver
Wait for me please, and I promise I’ll find you.
©
Erik Goodwyn, 2012
* Ælfscȳne Frēo: Old English, “elf-beautiful Lady”, ælfscȳne is often associated
with
otherworldly beauty that so profound as to be “perilous”. Frēo is also a
goddess.