Salvation

The Huntress has retreated from the world to reflect...

The Huntress has retreated to a darkling wood,

She no longer knows if she is bad or good.

All the killing has started to rot her soul,

She feels as if she's falling into a deep, black hole.

She knows that she fought for the forces of Light,

But she can no longer tell what is wrong and what's right.

Her emotions are confused, her thoughts are unclear.

It's her own hidden nature that she has begun to fear.

So she is wasting her days and dreading her nights,

As she sinks into apathy and stays out of fights.

While plagued by her doubts and screaming through nightmares,

She is fading away as her soul is scraped bare.

Then one bright day, as she drinks from a cold mountain stream,

A stranger appears, as if walking in from a dream.

He tells of his daughter, who was about to be slain,

And the brave young archer who saved her, for no personal gain.

He tells of his daughter's wonderful new life,

How she found her true love and became his true wife,

Of the birth of his grandchild and how she's adored,

Of a life richly lived, always happy, never bored.

He closes by saying how none of this could be,

Without the courage of that archer, so wild and so free.

How that young woman's selfless act,

Had turned a broken life into a joyous fact,

As the Huntress's tears joined the flow of the brook,

The stranger quietly his leave he took.

After a while, the Huntress rose,

Strapped on her sword, picked up her bow.

If she wouldn't stand, if she wouldn't fight, who would?

Someone has to fend off the oncoming night, banish evil, champion good.

She had known what was wrong, what was right, back then.

Her mind was sharp, her thoughts were clear, she could be that woman again.

Sometimes that's all it takes, a few kind words from a friend,

To make a new beginning from an apparent tragic end.

The Huntress's heart was full, her spirit had unfurled.

She hitched her pack onto her back and went out to face the world.

© 2018 The Iron Horseman

Author's Note

To fully understand this poem, it helps to have read my earlier Huntress poem 'The Sacrifice' first.

Reviews

[barleygirl]

Since I just read your other poem, I can say there's a vast difference between these two. The other poem has a more superficial treatment describing your story by using the more obvious layers of the typical battle scene (even tho your use of language makes it anything but ordinary). On the other hand, this poem is more multi-layered, which I love, & there are twists & turns that make the storytelling feel more sophisticated here, than in your other poem. The pacing & action & description are all well-balanced in strong storytelling style. Of course, there's the pesky longer line here & there that makes me want to snip a little with my pruning sheers *wink! wink!* Fondly, Margie

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you for the great review, Margie, but when you find those pesky longer lines, please give me your suggested pruning. You are such a terrific poet yourself, I am sure they would be an improvement, and hopefully I would learn something! :) I know that you don't like to do that, but trust me, it would be much appreciated.

[Declan]

This is excellent honestly, perhaps my fav of yours. Love the wording, the story topic and how it all ties together. Vey impressive.

[The Iron Horseman]

Thanks, Declan. I'm glad you liked it. The Huntress is one of my favorite characters.
It is good to hear from you again, too.

[Agyani]

Hello, Iron Horseman
I liked how the poem is so lyrical. It's something I always enjoy, for it makes me start reading it out loud in a sing-song voice!
The story in the poem is a bit unevenly paced, though. Well, not exactly unevenly paced, but it really requires the reader to have read The Sacrifice. Otherwise the realization of her purpose comes a bit too easily and abruptly. Maybe you could work on a few longer lines in the poem. It sort of breaks the flow of reading it and feels the rhyme is enforced there rather than natural. But that's just what I think. I don't know if you wanted to maintain such a rhyme all the while.
All in all, a good read. :)

[The Iron Horseman]

Hi Agyani. You are correct about the longer lines, but they are a quirk of mine: I sometimes sacrifice the rhythm in order to get the story line I want. Sometimes you just cannot get the context without the extra words!

[Agyani]

I see. Well, that's your style then. I just felt it broke the rhythm a bit and took something away from the poem. But as long as you're comfortable and at peace with it, no problem.

[The Iron Horseman]

I am always open to suggestions. If you can come up with something that conveys the same meaning in fewer words I would be pleased to hear it.

[Dhara_Ditzy Kat]

A story of high motivation and inspiration! May the tribe of such kind, strangers increase! I appreciate your effortless, flowing style. Your grip on words is admirable. I’m glad I discovered your poetry!

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you, Kitty Kat. I am glad you enjoyed it. Just posted a new one.

[Neville]

Thoroughly enjoyed.. but will be back to read again once I have read those earlier Huntress writes, sometimes it pays to read the authors notes first, dunnit just.... back later my friend... N

[The Iron Horseman]

Lol! Yes, Neville, it does! Of course, I do that too, or don't do that too, if you see what I mean.

[Neville]

I see what you mean you think you see, I think, if you see what I mean....

[The Iron Horseman]

Yes, something like that! :)

[Neville]

.................. :)

[Onlyme]

Exceptional poem, with nice a nice flowing journey into this Huntress minds and emotions. The twists and turns of her humanity. And how in her deepest needs. Someone came to her aid. And via that aid. Her life changed. Bravo.

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you, Dawn.

[Poetic License]

Absolute adoration for the return of the most beloved Huntress. Once again you provide both hope and inspiration to get back in the good fight. THank you, dear friend.

[The Iron Horseman]

Thank you for taking the time to review this, PL. I'm glad you liked it. My apologies for taking so long to get around to publishing it!

[Ghost writer]

I love this, it's fictional characters but speaks of real problems which is the best kind of fiction, also the flow and rhymes are really good.

[The Iron Horseman]

Thanks, WeakFreak, I am glad you enjoyed it.