A Knight’s Quest
Poetry Writing Contest response
As the morning sun brightened the sky
The knight stood tall, with spirits high
With polished armor and his sword in a sheath
He began conversing with wizards and beasts
Warlocks and witches, thieves and nobility
Earnestly he searched for a heroic responsibility
Near and far, from eskimos to sages
Even in the ink of long-lost pages
There must be one, he thought to himself
A maiden out there who needs my help!
On the summit of a hill
Snow fell and his bones began to chill
A blizzard fell on the warrior’s armor
So he went to a town, built around a harbor
With no money or gifts, he knew not where to stay
Until a voice cried out, which said the word Hey!
He turned around, nearly buried in snow
To see a front door open, illuminated by a fire’s glow
Get out of the storm, or you’ll freeze to death
Come into my home, tonight you may rest
As he approached, her silhouette became clear
A woman of beauty, without an ounce of fear
Into the house he went and behind him the door closed
What were you doing out there, in the cold all alone?
The knight thought to himself about why he began
I was following through with my glorious plan
What kind of a plan? Have you gone mad?
The man began to reflect, and started to feel sad
One day I went looking for an adventure to accomplish
But I’ve found nothing, to be completely honest
For weeks I’ve searched, with no journeys found
The man felt discouraged, and looked at the ground
No dragons or gold, no battles or duels
Those people are right, the ones who called me a fool
The woman reached out, and lifted his chin
They are only right if you let them win
This has been part of your journey, thy noble knight
Do not get discouraged, keep your vision in sight
A new day emerged, after a good night’s rest
And the knight reconsidered the paradigm of his quest
The maiden and man shared breakfast together
Thank you for saving me from that frigid weather
It was my pleasure, I’m happy we met
I bid you farewell, and I wish you the best
The knight smiled and turned, with spirits high again
Onward he marched, into the unknown he went
Through mountains and valleys, forests and rivers
Through scorching deserts and sleeping with shivers
Days went by, weeks on the road
His ambition was strong, his fire within glowed
He refused to feel down, in the face of uncertainty
A true traveler he now learned to be
Meeting treacherous beings and peculiar guys
Eventually a wizard with storms in his eyes
Dressed in all grey and seven feet tall
The knight looked up and began to call
Towering magician! I have a question for you!
The sorcerer looked down, revealing pupils of dark blue
Where can I find a worthy foe?
The wizard smiled, then got down low
Now on one knee, the magician began to speak
Look within to find the opponent you seek
The knight was perplexed! What a profound notion!
The wizard stood up, with one strong motion.
What does that mean?! I want to fight!
I seek an adversary to test my might!
Before moving on, the wizard said to the man
Conquer thyself, and believe that you can
With a flash of lightning, the wizard vanished
The knight was silent, realizing he was famished
Into a town he went, the same one as before
That peculiar place right on the shore
A sign for a bar revealed a place to reside
With hunger and excitement, the knight went inside
While eating a meal, eventually he thought
How could I be the opponent I sought?
The ideas were pondered, what the magician said
Perhaps I’ll find the answer inside a warm bed
A few gold coins paid for the meal
Out he went, and the moonlight revealed
The woman he met, so long ago
The one who kept him warm after he nearly froze
Did you accomplish your quest, thou valiant knight?
The man stood still, with her beauty in sight
What I wanted to find was within me all along
I wanted a battle, but perhaps I was wrong
The woman in white walked forward and smiled
I knew you’d find out, but it sure took a while
They walked side by side, towards her home
You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known
She blushed and said, with a beautiful expression
You’re too kind, you’ve made quite the impression
They stopped at the coastline, underneath the stars
Your quest brought you here, after travelling far
The knight looked at her, right next to the sea
For some reason, I finally feel free
I embrace this life, and all that I am
The woman reached out, and gently held his hand
Congratulations, brave knight, you’ve fulfilled your destiny
The reward for your journey is a future with me
Thank you for reading my poem. Feel free to check out my poetry, short stories, and essays on this mysterious Medium of the mind. Good luck on your quests. May your journeys be filled with wonder and prosperity.
This Writing Contest is hosted by Ravyne Hawk
