The Water God

I heard the rumble of thunder rolling

Over the mountain top,

And then the cry of Desirée calling,

‘When is it going to stop?’

The dam had broken its earthen banks

The plain was starting to flood,

The river raged by the cottage door

And the floor was covered in mud.

 

I knew that something was very wrong

For Desirée cried and cried,

I’d asked before what was going on

But to tell the truth, she lied,

She said that she was responsible

But she wouldn’t tell me why,

And her tears mixed with the rain until

A week had passed us by.

 

I stared on up at the brooding sky

With its thunderheads in line,

And thought: ‘Another few days of this

Will herald the end of time!’

The cottages down on the valley floor

Had gone, right up to the roof,

Desirée wept by the cottage door,

‘I’d better tell you the truth!’

 

She wept and said, ‘On the mountain top

I discovered the altar stone,

I know I shouldn’t have touched it, but

I thought I was all alone,

I traced my fingers over the runes

To see what I could find,

And all the beauty I’d ever known

Came flooding into my mind.’

 

‘And then the gods of the firmament

Of earth and sea and air,

Came leaching out of the altar stone

And tangled up in my hair,

They said that I was so beautiful,

Too good for human kind,

I had a choice, I could marry one

Or the gods would strike me blind!’

 

The lightning struck as we stood out there

And felled a mighty oak,

‘They said they’d give me a week…’

But then it thundered, as she spoke.

‘They’re telling me that my time is up,

We’ll meet by Llandrindod,

And there I’ll marry Barinthus,

He’s the Celtic Water God.’

 

The rain came down in a torrent as

She turned and went from me,

And walked right down to the river bank

Where she said she’d set me free.

Desirée walked in the water and

Was swept away by the tide,

Down to the Bay of Aberfaye

As I shook my head, and cried.

 

The skies are blue in Aberfaye

And the thunderheads have gone,

Up on the mountain top I took

An axe to the altar stone.

They point me out in the village street

And the tourists think it odd,

They whisper: ‘There goes the man who lost

His wife to the Water God!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[roarke]

The meter made this piece fly by. Gods, storms, raging rivers, unrequited love, whew.... I don't think you could have squeezed in anymore. The life of a goddess, or the life of a blind mortal.... hmm, a weighty decision.

I know there will be more, so I'll just sit right here and wait.

[Mark]

Based on Juno's misadventures with Jupiter (or Hera's with Zeus, if you prefer), I believe I'd take the blindness!!

[spiritwind]

There is no quit nor boundaries to your imagination... YEA!!!!! I cannot speak of poetic devices and meter and stuff, I just know your tales go down smoooooooooth!

[Enid Blake]

I bet she's having the time of her life down there!

[Marie]

Women are always too curious...losing to a god is not something to be ashamed of...

[Marc Marlon Villaflor]

Love the story, it's visual rich lines randomly captured my imaginations. Excellent Writing :) Keep it up!

[Holly Mason]

what a story you tell...such images flashing through my mind
the title alone draws you right in
thank you so much for a lovely story on a relaxing Sunday*)

[quinfinn]

where do you come up with all these brilliant ideas for such engaging stories? another well written and finely woven tale, from the masterful pen of David Lewis Paget!