Kings of Myth and Illusion

By Ewan

Fri, 03 Jun 2022
  • 917 reads
5 comments
 

               So many, many kings,

kings of so many things

 

                         I met a fisher king

          followed by hounds sniffing

                   a trail of blood

          leaking from the eternal

      wound that would not heal

  though it was invisible.

 

                                I spoke with other kings

                                kings of so many things

 

                                  I knew a lizard king

               pursued by maidens screaming,

                                  a murderous lust

                 welling from an impossible

             dream of the man on stage,

          though he was unknowable.

 

                               I walked with mythic kings,

                               kings of so many things.

 

                              I slew the mountain king

                         guarded by trolls grunting

                     their hatred for

                he who spurned a troll-

            princess, apple of her father’s eye,

       wherein her beauty lay dormant.

 

                                                I fought with many kings,

                                                kings of so many things.

 

                                               I saw the rook-coat king

                                         mirrored in the shining lake:

                                     the water rose

                                 to meet me before I waded in,

                            swimming then drowning,

                    then hooked by the fisher king.

Certificate U
Poem
Kings Of Myth and Illusion
Miscellaneous

Comments

Submitted by Kilb50 on

Great read Ewan. We (ie men) are all our own kings. I think I fall into the rook-coat category!

 

Submitted by Ewan on

- and knaves at one and the same time.

Thanks for dropping by

E x

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by Penny4athought on

Snippets of recognition in this but not sure I’m correct in my interpretations.For, Fisher king -is that the DJ in the movie with the homeless man (Robin Williams) who he befriends and whose life he had inadvertently destroyed by previous actions?...And lizard king, is it a reference to Jim Morrison of the Doors? Fans screaming but he was unknowable? Either way, there is so much movement within your poem; your phrasing is reminiscent of a fairytale and your ending is circular, taking it back to the fisher king. You’ve an impressive poetic rhythm and I am always pulled in to the poems you write. This is one will remain a favorite to be read again and again....smiley

Penny4athought

Submitted by Ewan on

(film), according to its makers, is based on The Fisher King  myth. I couldn't see it myself. The Fisher King IS both part of what people call "Arthuriana" but also part of Celtic and pagan folklore. The FK had a wound that would not heal.

The Lizard King is, of course, Jim. No one can know anyone else via the groupie experience, can they?

 

I'm reluctant to explain anything about poems.The meaning is found in what readers understand it to be, don't you agree?

 

Thanks so very much, for reading so closely.

E x

Author Page at the 'Zon
 

Submitted by David Kirtley on

An interesting selection of Kings! I really like the idea of this and think it makes a good poem!