Sionnach: The Hawks Tale of Tadghan the Fox, Poem by Lord Carville
In this 'conachlonn' (a simple Bardic form of chain verse) I have tried to evoke the path of life that revolves in and around a forest footpath with the main characters of the fox and the hawk. Various activities are seen in sharp, penetrative glimpses, sounds and colors. I have also included some alliteration and linking cross rhymes.
Harrow'd tale of Prince Todd unlocks;
Foxs' dark damp earthen burrow,
Durrow's forest of mighty oaks.
Rooks perch black in cawing sorrow,
Follow the path by trickling brook
Drunk the trout in silver'd shallow
Fallow deer in soft shadows lurk -
Stark glimpse of fierce snapping horror,
Sparrows rise in wild frightened flock,
Work is hardest hunting hallowed,
Hollow echoes of far distant barks
Dark is deaths' intention t'morrow
Borrowed life for life sustaining spark,
Fork through leaves the killer glowered...
Billowed strength and the final crack
Smack of sharpest teeth; poor fellow,
Willows curtain hides the sneaky rake,
Drake tastes of fine feathered tallow,
Mellow now; a placid reddish lake,
Snakes whistle b'tween furnish yarrow,
Yellow speckled dawn of sun's sparks
Larks chant choral in dappled meadows
Narrow path to his hearth he walks,
Stalks now sweet dreams in mossy slumber,
Summer'd eye of the sensuous hawk;
Talk of trails well harrow'd.
All Rights Reserved & Copyright David John Drew 2008
