Steel Contender

Steel Contender

She sits there with a sword over her shoulder
Alone and wishing she were older
For being older would be wiser and wiser safer
But still young, and waiting tries her
patience. So she sits and polishes her friend
knowing that the end is further off than last she thought
but closer now than ever before. It ought
to scare her, maybe frighten her but what there is
just serves to lighten her already lightened mood

And still she sits and sharpens her now gleaming toy
Noticing the light is seeming dimmer now
But how will darkness come tonight?
The failing light will mask the terror which, approaching,
Ought to terrify the girl, but though encroaching
Does not cause a tremble or a quiver
For she knows there’s one thing always will be with her –
Her sword, her friend, a steel contender
Shining in the darkness always beside
Serving to hide the fear that’s always near but never upon
The girl and her shoulder and her sword thereon

Suddenly and darkly, the Kraken wakes
And crawling through the mud, it takes
Its time in drawing near but still the fear
Cannot be seen nor felt nor heard. The single word
The kraken whispers shakes the ground but not the girl
Who turns around and lifts her sword,
her friend
The sword was with her to the end
A shining, gleaming, steel contender
Saves a life but fails to kill the kraken
Who evilly trails the young girl’s body
Behind him as he goes. He knows he owes
The price of death to one who died
To save herself, to hide

End