Survival

Eli Edward Evangelidis, illustrator and engraver
from Sydney, Australia.
https://www.instagram.com/eliedwardart/

Survival

She lived beneath our crisp blue skies
where cocksfoot and clover swayed as sweetgrass,
deer frolicked amongst meadow sage,
and lichen and liverwort sported splendid greens;
competed only with mythic water lilies
that floated upon forest's cucumber hued pond.

She charmed us with saffron-colored flowers
tucked within her hair, eyes that reflected molten gold sunsets,
and the taste of vineyard and vine upon her lips.

* * *

A tempest blew our way,
pristine wilderness now a phantom forest
where lilies closed against darkness, drooped, and dropped,
cattail reeds darkened with decay, weeping willows curled into the bank,
and summer's sunflowers wilted and grayed in her hair,
hint of honey no longer upon her tongue.

Everyone's quick to name the serpent, as ebony eyes
and forked tongues are contagious; evil spreads like black ink.
We all cowered, for we had no Knight, what were we to do?

Amongst us we had one rise to the challenge, follow the way
of the ghost pines who haunt the paths with gnarled fingers
yet point the way ... our Princess,
gossamer silk replaced with steel blade, last seen
bravely entering the gloaming as the last fairy firefly shimmered,
silently winked, blinked one last time.

by Margaret Bednar, June 1, 2019

This is linked with "Imaginary Garden with Real Toads - Art Flash 55"  I would love to have honored Galen with a short 55 word story - but this was hard enough for me to write.  I tried to give a nod to the fairy tale like quality AND the sinister vibe I get from this image.  A bit out of my comfort zone but it was fun.

My poems don't usually take a long time for me to write but this one did.  I'm not completely satisfied with this but I've got to go cook dinner!

note:  cocksfoot is another name for orchard grass and meadow sage (salvia) is deer resistant.