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| "Clashing Swords" from TV Tropes |
Clasped in steel
threads
Men at arms facing
one another
Like soldiers
ready for battle
Armed with swords
and shields
Both extensions of
their body
In fashionable
order they draw
Order and
procedure demanding
Taking one step
forward
Dead hard glares
on the prize
Their enemies
closing in
One step at a time
Performing a sort
of waltz
Until they're face
to face
A war horn sounds
off
Let the battle
commence.
In a flurry of
blades
Cutting close to
the throat
Each knight
strikes true
Marking the target
pursued
With reddened
tasteful bliss
Each drop of sweat
like blood
They dance around
in circles
Clashing hard with
steel
Exchanging blows
in motion
They are the
heroes in silver
Sword masters and
their sisters
Fighting till the
last breath
In which the chime
is signaled
The battle isn't
won or lost
Just honorable
bows of victory
In this
magnificent dance hall.
This poem was selected as a submission for the Sunday Mini-Challenge by Kerry O' Connor, over at Imaginary Garden With Real Toads.
What a clear way the battle cries are heard in this dance of yours.. this is a ball of sorts. I agree.
ReplyDeleteI was hoping the play on words and the metaphor would stand out.
DeleteWhat a battle it would be!
ReplyDeleteThe flow of your words is brimming with a tension, corresponding to its theme. Well-penned. :-)
-HA
Pardon me but somehow, I missed on the second stanza.
DeleteLet me revise my words.
The parallel drawn with a battle is tasteful... and brimming with energy. A witty way to represent the ongoing in a dancing hall. Well-penned.
-HA
HA,
DeleteI'm glad that the metaphor stood out. I was worried that it would be too close to the theme of fantasy, and so the metaphor would kind of die, but thankfully it didn't. Thank you for the comment.
The movement is so very dance-like. Enjoyed this, Kenn.
ReplyDeleteI thought I could have played around with the verses a little bit rather than leaving it in two columns like I did, but it did read out pretty good.
DeleteThis is quite a poem, Kenn. So many battles are not won or lost...but just continue on.
ReplyDeleteYeah, there are all kinds of battles.
DeleteI am very attracted to the color red *no surprise, huh?* So I was drawn to these lines: "With reddened tasteful bliss / Each drop of sweat like blood / They dance around in circles". The color made me look twice, but it is the imagery of the entire scene that kept me there. And the phraseology, "drop of sweat like blood" especially.
ReplyDeleteIt was a tough battle to paint on that dance floor. Also it was a tribute to the dancers out there because that stuff is really hard to do. They really push themselves to learn to perform.
ReplyDeleteThe dance of swords...beautiful.
ReplyDeleteI've actually seen a Chinese sword dancer before. It is a beautiful feat of performance indeed.
DeleteYou have captured the energy and dance-like grace of swordplay very well, Kenn. I enjoyed the read.
ReplyDeleteThank you Kerry, I'm happy you enjoyed this dance-like read.
DeleteI just finished watching the film 'King Arthur' with Keira Knightley and Clive Owen--so I can relate to the vivid battle scenes very visually--and an interesting use of dance hall--the ballet of violence and death, 'clasped,' as you say, 'in steel threads.'
ReplyDeleteThat movie is a great inspiration to grab from. I've always been easily amused by the medieval period, or anything that relates to fantasy.
DeleteTo picture it as a dance is good imagery. I like this
ReplyDeleteI was definitely influenced by novels I've read. The scenes of battle in fantasy are always so fascinating.
DeleteI see this as a sword fight - that is similar to a dance…. but I read above and it IS supposed to be a dance?
ReplyDeleteTry imagining a sword as being an extension of one's self. Exchanging blows with an enemy in sword play is much like a dance upon the battlefield.
DeleteWhat a vivid picture of the battle!
ReplyDeleteThanks! :)
Delete