Ayonne's Sisters

"I should think my beauty
Would serve me better," said Deslin

While preening herself

Before a looking glass

That was far too big

For but one soul.

"I should think it has," said Dai,

"Mr. Thomas Shawl is lovely,"

She leaned in her chair

Returning her attention

To the conversation of her book

That was more interesting.

"Oh, I suppose he's desirable

After the human kind," Deslin

Begrudgingly acknowledged it,

"But what I truly fancy

Is a contanence of blue,"

Her smile broadened longingly.

"Oh dear," Dai sighed distastefully,

"Not that dreadful Beedan

You always carry on about,"

She frowned, "you'll loose

The better catch for pining."

"If you fancy Thomas so,

Why don't you take him?"

She snapped, so Dai,

"If you muck it up, I shall surely

Snatch him away when I'm of age,

You dreadful socialite."

"I say take him if you fancy him so,"

Deslin defied her with dismissal,

So Dai, "Next moon I am of age

And if you have not secured him

By then you never will, so I

Will certainly welcome his interest."

"We shall see if you actually do,"

Was Deslin's distracted answer

As she primmed her dress at the waist

Then played with her hair,

And she did not know her sister

Was quite true in her intentions.

Joseph Parsons Copyright©2015 All rights reserved.

The Great Guns of Ayonne

Sitting silent near three score but one

Lay resting the great guns of Ayonne

In silent introspection thinking back

Upon the days of havoc wrought

From their mounts upon Resistance's decks,

A quiet array

On the shore by the bay.

Decommission put aside

The old warship of pride

So the great guns of her decks

Were mounted on the shore

To defend Ayonne's port of bay,

And so they sit today.

Many nights they quiet listened

And light reflected glistened

Off the Silver Sea upon the canons

Forty feet in length,

And few alive remember

Their fury and anger.

Such a night was this of calm

And all the bay was sleeping

But the soldiers keeping watch

And the gunners in their turrets

Who tended the sky

Should the old foe draw nigh.

Of a sudden came alive the first

That shook the ground and filled the earth

Like a quake from the burst

Of reciprocating plasma fire,

And recoil slamming

From fire streaming.

The Lord and Lady jumped awake

To rush upon the window

Just in time to see a second

Of the great guns come alive,

And one by one awoke

The old great guns upon the bank.

"Surely not, my love," breathed Dai,

"Surely we would know of their return?"

"The old guns would not awaken,"

Lord Tom quiet spoke to the sight

Of four and twenty great guns

Streaming fire in the night,

"Except for the return

"Of Old Realm's fleet."

Softly spoke Lady Dai,

"I shall stir the Houses

"And rouse our defenses,

"While you, love, must command

"Our forces as one,

"For war is come."

The sirens cried aloud into the dark

And people emerged in streams

To move in mass to bunkers

As their grandparents had long before,

"And to think in my days this would come,"

Lord Tom spoke into the night.

Joseph Parsons Copyright©2015

The Port of Ayonne

Do you recall Ayonne?
The Port of Ayonne
Where more than battles
But hearts were won?

Of Houses I speak,
Aye, Shaul an' Stahn
And a love
That couldn't break.

Yes, Dai and Tom,
Two loves not wrong
Yet many of she
Say she tricked him.

A chance meet they say
In a bench by the bay
Beneath shadow an' flame
Of Triumphant.

The warship some say
Made a tempest at sea
While some kanive
How she tricked him.

What dif'rince matter?
They think it better
She plotted to capture
And make him wed?

Their hearts fast
Were kneaded as one
At port by the sea
B'neath a white sun.

The union of Shaul
And of Stahn
Was the strength
Of port Ayonne

In the hour invaders
Of Old Realm returned
To the Silver Sea
Beneath a white dwarf.

Who stood to meet them?
Shaul and Stahn.
Who defeated them?
Dai an' Tom.

What matters
The day or hour
Their love took hold
Young or old?

If she tricked
As some say,
He wanted tricking
Says I.

So he tricked her too
That she loved
In the end,
None denies.

What of it?
It was right,
It was guided
And meant to be.

The Houses of Shaul
And Stahn united
Defended this world
Of the Silver Sea.

Joseph Parsons Copyright©2015 All rights reserved.