More Frippery

Thinking of those who fought and lost, no not soldiers in battle, but citizens, folks who tried to speak truth to power and were destroyed by that power.

We may never know the names of those who fought back and were defeated.

We may one day hail those who will finally defeat the forces of evil we so plainly see.  It is unlikely that any more than family and friends will ever know how many paid the price for that victory.

The old fairy tales talk about this, and rather cruely, I always thought.

Thus my poem.  Which is below the fold, because it’s shy.

Root of Victory

One prince slays the monster,

wins the princess and the kingdom,

while everyone cheers and lives

happily ever after.

As cast off bones

of defeated warriors

    rot.

We never learn the names

of those who fell,

who with heroic mien

chose to confront and

slay the mighty foe

and instead were slain.

Their only mention in the tales

is meant to brighten

the victorious Prince’s

great virtues,

nothing more.

So that’s my wan salute to those who have fought, who have refused to capitulate and were destroyed for that refusal, and whose names I may never know.

17 comments

Skip to comment form

  1. Good time to entertain stray thoughts.

    I even offered ’em a glass of wine!

    Heh.

    • Robyn on June 22, 2008 at 06:02

    Still bothered by this past few days.

    This didn’t fit into the morning’s pony



    Seems So Long Ago, Nancy

    Now I shall try to discard some of the thoughts about my failures and mayhap slumber.

    • Edger on June 22, 2008 at 07:00

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

    .

  2. Nightprowlkitty, this is not Frippery.

    It’s poetry, and every fallen poet would honor it as such.

    We never learn the names

    of poets who fell,

    who with heroic mien

    chose to confront and

    slay the mighty foe

    and instead were slain.

    They fell, but poetry lives, and that is a victory for every poet, known or unknown, living or dead.

    • RiaD on June 23, 2008 at 04:41

    gold rush brides by 10,000 maniacs (or natalie merchant)…

    much the same sentiment…feeling…

    thank you npk

    (^.^)♥~

Comments have been disabled.