Deny, Deny!A Poem by David Lewis PagetHe met her under the willow trees That grew by the valley creek, He hadn’t been able to visit her For the best part of a week, She patted her horse’s neck, and sighed, And waited for him to say, The one thing that she feared the most, That he might be going away.
But in his eyes there was only love As he reached, and kissed her hand, ‘We mustn’t be seen down here by him, I need you to understand, He rides abroad since he found us out, And says he’s looking for me, His stablemaster has said, no doubt, I’ll hang from the nearest tree.’
‘He wouldn’t dare,’ said Jennifer Moss, ‘My father would have him lashed, He’s always been too quick with his fists He killed a man in the past.’ ‘But never paid the ultimate price, He thinks he’s above the law, I’m keeping my flintlock pistol primed, My powder dry by the door.’
‘He hasn’t said anything yet to me, So how do you think he knows?’ ‘Your stablemaster has seen us kiss By the barn where the river flows. Beware, my love, he’s a dangerous man, Will settle his score with me, But then, with you, he will seek revenge Denial may set you free.’
‘You must deny that you care for me, Deny that our lips have met, Deny, deny is the only course That may make the fool forget.’ ‘My heart is bursting with love for you, I couldn’t deny what’s true,’ ‘You must, my love, or the scene is set, I fear what he’ll do to you.’
He rode away to his hilltop farm And he locked and barred each door, While she rode off to the Manor House Where her husband paced the floor. ‘I fear my wife is a Jezebel, So the stablemaster tells.’ ‘I have no interest in men,’ she said, I’m married to one from Hell!’
He turned on her in a rage at that, He believed his master spy, While she continued to hear the words Of her love, ‘Deny, Deny!’ ‘I’ll spare his life if you tell the truth, If you don’t, the man is dead,’ She weakened then and admitted it, She once had been in his bed.
He sent his louts to the Hilltop farm And they dragged him out in dread, They tied him to the back of his horse To the Manor House, they led. The husband leered when he saw him there, ‘Well, your love has you redeemed! I’ll let you live in your bleak despair…’ His love was hung from a beam!
David Lewis Paget © 2014 David Lewis PagetFeatured Review
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7 Reviews Added on November 11, 2014 Last Updated on November 11, 2014 Tags: lashed, fists, stablemaster, flintlock Author
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