But did he go?

storypoem

 

But Did He Go/

 

The world is full of mysteries

And men have searched for centuries

For the one man legends say

can explain the only way

To keep the threat of death away.

 

The secret of eternal life

Though facts are few rumours are rife

That he exists or used to do

Experts have found a reference to

A certain Frater Anatos.

 

Proscribed as a heretic

In eight hundred and ninety six

 at the age of ninety two

Cross references have proven true

He disappeared from public view..

 

Where did he go nobody knows

He took precautions I suppose

To ensure that they would not

He clearly hoped he’d be forgot.

But his hopes did not come true.

 

Though he succeeded partially

Nobody knew where they should look.

His tracks he covered artfully

assisted by a little luck.

The trail goes cold for centuries.

 

Although three hundred years have passed

Scholars found an anomaly

When studying records of the past

Which made them think that possibly.

They’ve found a clue at long last.

 

They think he fled to Italy

Where he remained for forty years.

Took refuge in a monastery.

But once again he disappears.

And leaves behind a mystery.

 

He had no choice he dare not stay

In any place at all too long

He does not age the normal way

To other men this seems quite wrong.

So he is forced to flee again

 

Although the legend still persists

No one can prove it either way

If he does or does not exist.

Though men are searching still today
they are convinced that he must do.

 

 

Searching for clues in history

Some chose to concentrate on France

To try and solve the mystery

Where they discovered quite by chance

A certain man of mystery.

 

A nobleman who claimed to be.

The Compte de St Germaine.

Who mixed with aristocracy

But never seemed that he could  attain.

increasing age like other men.

 

 

Nobody knew from whence he came.

Jealous of his privacy

They were not certain that his claim

Of noble aristocracy

Could possibly be verified.

 

Perhaps some who were envious.

Secretly plotted his down fall

They tried to prove his claims bogus

Which made no difference at all.

He was approved by royalty.

 

He was befriended by the king

Which left no room for argument

The records say he was living

 In a grace and favour apartment

Apparently owned by the king.

 

A man who never seemed to age

Accepted universally

He was regarded as a sage

A man of unique ability.

He occupied the centre stage.

 

There is no doubt French records show

That in the eighteenth century

 He was quite free to come and go.

 He had diplomatic immunity.

For reasons which we do not know.

 

These facts are known to be the truth

He moved in high society

Official records offer proof.

There’s no attempt at secrecy.

The records stand for all to see.

 

For a period of ten years

Then he disappears quite suddenly.

In fifteen years he re appears

But he refuses stubbornly

to say exactly where he’s been.

 

He hasn’t aged a single day

According to a lady friend

In all the time he’s been away

Upon whose word we can depend.

There was no reason she would lie.

 

She met him at a later date.

He seemed no older than before

The lady did not hesitate

 to repeat her view once more.

 That he did not appear to age.

 

Truly a man of mystery.

It could be that the records lie

Altered unofficially

A possibility we can’t deny

or just perhaps officially.

 

His death in seventeen eighty four.

There is no proof at all he died

Deepens the mystery even more

It could have been a ploy to hide

 A change to his identity.

 

And that is why they’re searching still

They follow up the slightest clue

For the man time cannot kill

They still believe the legend’s true.

And they are prepared to do

 

Anything which they have to do

To achieve immortality

Though they most unlikely to

They wont give up they will still try.

They will continue to pursue.

 

The count until he’s forced to flee

As he has often done before

Throughout recorded history.

Although in fact they know no more.

Than what little they deduce

 

From records that they cannot trust.

Although they think they might be true

they have good reason to adjust

The way in which they choose to view

official records which exist.

 

At present he’s in Tunbridge wells

He bought a well known hostelry

He owns and runs The Ring O Bells

Where he is living openly

Although he knows eventually

.

They’ll ferret out his whereabouts

Although he’s always run before

He has decided without doubt

That he’s not running anymore.

They won’t get what they’re hoping for.

 

He knows not why he does not die

and has grown tired of secrecy

As long slow centuries pass by

He’s cursed his immortality.

He'll gladly pass the secret on

 

So he could die like other men

If he knew how it could be done

He does not know and can’t explain

The secret to anyone.

Why he has lived for centuries.

 

He cannot share what he doesn’t know

With either friends or enemies.

He wishes that it was not so

But he is bound by fates decrees

He thinks its time to go

 

To where no one could possibly.

Follow him successfully

Then as the years roll slowly by

It will become his legacy

A legend that refused to die.

 

Reviews

[Greg the Bard]

I find in this work a sort of whim in your thought. I love the legend and wondered if it might be a part of the Dorian Gray story. The work kept my attention all the way through and at times padded its mirth with great mystery. I really liked it.