... so softly that I could hardly hear him.
He whispered other things, too,
which I heard even less. Aging
is taking vengeance on my hearing.
There were words here and there,
intensity overcoming inability.
I caught words, promises, warnings,
about begging, pleading, the implication
that these would accomplish nothing.
He didn't, you know.
Though I would have yielded, you know.
But he didn't.
He doesn't.
Not like that.
Not like his dark fantasies, his
desperate desires.
I held him fast all in my arms.
I said the right words and took him inside me.
and held him fast,
my fearsome fearful shape shifter,
and as he came so passed the spell
and he lay in my arms a naked man.
He protects me.
In the epic battle between Love and the Beast,
Love always wins.
One of my favorite versions of the referenced ballad, which is one of many dealing with love conquering the evil spell. "But first I'll change all in your arms..."
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4 comments:
OG,
what a beautiful song, thank you.
Paul.
Child(e) ballads are wonderful. Shape shifters. A most wonderful metaphor for our kind of love. What an exquisite post, OG, full of spring and swelling buds, and other swelling things, and your patented, rich language. Delicious and delicate.
Paul, I've always loved the ballad of Tam Lin. But this version is particularly beautifully in its spare simplicity, and loses nothing from being modern.
GR - I was counting on you to catch the reference even before I made it specific. And you know I have a thing for the shape shifter metaphor.
o.g.
oh this is lovely.
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