Narnian Poetry

[Weapon Master]

This is a poem I wrote while sitting in Riverside Park in New York two summers ago. I try to present the characteristics and personalities of the Pevensie rulers in a elegant manner. P.S., the plant images are borrowed from the symbolism that Jasmine Watson worked into the children's crowns in the LWW movie.

4 parts of 1

He is the first and greatest of the Golden rulers.
Fierce in battle, yet gentle to the meekest of creatures.
His great sword pierces the hearts of those who threaten his kingdom, and his noble shield safeguards the innocent like a beast to its cub.
With the strength and courage of the mighty oak, this magnificent king outshone all who came before him, as well as any that would succeed him.

Her beauty mirrors the moon and stars.
Raven hair flowing and rippling like the course of the Great River.
Her arrows fly unbound by the wind, and her sacred horn shall assist all who blow upon it.
Radiant as the silken petals of the daffodil, this gentle queen shall remain in the hearts of her people forever.

He rules with a hand both fair and firm.
His skill with the sword equaled only by his skill at court.
With heart and ears both open and ready, he resolves all matters with poise and perfection.
As strong and flexible as a rod of birch, this king of justice is the champion of commoners and courtiers alike.

The youngest and fairest of the Golden four.
The Lion’s blessing upon her most of all.
Both healer and warrior, her precious flask is always at hand, but with bow and dagger she clears all obstacles that cross her path.
With hair as golden as the laurel is green, this valiant queen brings rays of hope to even the darkest of troubled times.

[DiGoRyKiRkE]

I have moved this poem into it's own thread.

[Weapon Master]

The following composition is a type of poem known as a "lay" (also spelled "lai"). Essentially, a lay is a narrative or storytelling poem that is usually sung. J.R.R. Tolkien made extensive use of this kind of poem in his many works. It was a style that I wanted to tackle for some time, but it wasn't easy. First I had to find a subject to write the poem about. Eventually, I settled on King Caspian and his journey across the Eastern Sea. The hard part was finding a meter where the poem could be sung. Then I remembered a scene in Christopher Paolini's book Eldest where a song was performed that had a really wonderful tune to it. In the end, it was a no-brainer to choose that as the melody for the lay. Please enjoy.



The Lay of Caspian the Seafarer
(Inspired by C.S. Lewis’ The Voyage of the Dawn Treader and Christopher Paolini’s Eldest)


Oh, Caspian, he was a king.
Joy to Narnia he did bring.
In war and peace, from wood to sea,
of him the poets still do sing.

A promise to the lion made,
to seek the lords who were betrayed,
forced to sea and forced to sail,
and for their deaths to be repaid.

He sailed to islands through the swell
to make sure everything was well.
Galma, Terebinthia,
and the Seven Isles had naught to tell.

Lone Islands, last before the sea,
he found abhorrent slavery.
He made lord Bern into a duke,
and declared all captives fair and free.

Waves and wind and rain endured,
he made his way into a fjord.
Dragons, treasure, and repair,
Octesian was the perished lord.

Past an island charred like coal,
the next one bore a shock untold.
Beneath a pool he saw with dread,
Lord restimar had turned to gold.

Further east, he found a land
of creatures neither dwarf nor man.
Invisible, but not for long,
the spell removed, and on as planned.

A void of utter dark appeared,
along with everything he feared.
He found lord Rhoop in such a state,
and tried to calm his streaming tears.

At entrance to the utter east,
he found a table laid with feast.
A plethora of finest fare,
t’would cure the hunger of man or beast.

The final lords were sleeping there.
Bodies all obscured by hair.
At Argoz and Revilian
and Mavramorn he now did stare.

Yet all of this could not compete
with the person he would meet.
A lady beautiful and wise,
shinning light from head to feet.

He promised her he would return,
and her love that he would earn.
With Sails away and winds anew,
towards rising sun he now did turn.

The waters now were sweet and clear.
Like liquid light they did appear.
A field of lilies, white and vast,
adorned the surface far and near.

When he, at last, could sail no more,
he turned and made for western shores.
Sir Reepicheep went up the wave,
to Aslan’s Country evermore.

He came at last to his own land,
with his lady hand in hand.
He took her as his wife and queen,
and ruled for years a kingdom grand.

[Windsong]

Hey Weapon Master,

I really liked the flow and meter of this poem. I look forward to reading more offerings from you in the future.

Windsong

[DiGoRyKiRkE]

This was a really interesting poem, and it has such an unusual rhythym. It almost follows a traditional ballad format (alternating between four and three footed lines), but then again, it's got a very different rhythym. It is indeed a very Narnian rhythym, and I could very easily picture dwarfs singing it as they worked in their caverns underground.

My only critique would be to try and isolate a theme in the story of The Voyage of the Dawn Treader rather than transform the entire book into a poem. Doing the former will allow you to really capture what you're trying to say, rather than merely telling a story (narrative poetry). I suppose in other worlds, however, most all songs/poems tell a story thus categorizing them as narrative poems, but are also sung, making them ballads. I digress.

Well done