Note: This poem is a complement to my recently e-published work,
The Luster of Freedom.
"The Prisoner From Darelia" by Ryan Holman
He came upon a Midsummer's night;
A banquet to be held for the holiday, his aim;
Everyone tried to make everything right,
For they knew of the alliance, and the resulting game--
One that required a careful plan,
Everything just had to be right.
If out of place was so much as one man,
The baronage could say goodnight
To its alliance with Darelia.
Everything was in perfect disarray
With everything adjusted with pomp and regalia
Put in place to welcome each and every who would stay.
He took his place in the seat ‘neath the banner
The baron was nearly cold in his temperance;
But all that changed except the Baron's manner;
The Baroness made her entrance.
She was absolutely beautiful, but somehow sad;
Brown eyes looked forward as though without life;
Even without wine, the Baron would be mad
Not to hint at a smile to his wife.
After too short a time, the hostess left the hall.
When asked the reason, the host would not reply,
But a servant said calmly, "She didn't want to stay for the ball."
However as the guest discovered, she had left to die.
Soon after a servant at his arm
Was called to a duty, like the world was to end.
Despite the servant's secrecy at the potential harm
He followed her, leaving another in his stead.
He followed her quietly, not wanting to draw attention.
It was the duty of an ambassador, so said the law
But even after that there was no way he couldn't mention
Following everything that he saw.
The hostess had tried to hang herself on a noose of sheet
He had to tell his master, her father
Before anyone else he could meet.
But as he tried to escape without bother
A guard stopped him in his tracks,
And told him he could not leave.
He hoped every hope the punishment would be lax;
But such was not the case this eve.
Thrown in a dungeon, left to die,
He was kept for close to a year,
He'd do anything for freedom, he has to try--
But the problem becomes, will anyone hear?