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The Song of The Last Queen

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The Song of The Last Queen

Postby Cleander » Jul 17, 2019 3:35 pm

This is a poem I wrote as part of the discussion for the Summer Read-through of The Magician's Nephew that the Lion's Call website is doing.
I imagine this being the rest of the inscription found on the bell that Digory rings in the palace of Charn.

The land of Charn was great and strong,
The year before its dire fall.
Its heart was cruel, its arm was long,
Its pillars firm, its towers tall.

But Taranvar the emperor died,
And gasped his last upon a stair.
A hireling's dagger in his side,
Sent to him by his own heir.

His death began a civil war,
The like of which was never seen.
For both his daughters battled for
The throne and scepter of the Queen.

Before the sword of war was drawn,
The vows of battle both they took,
Beside the Altars of the Dawn,
Their magic powers both forsook.

Three hundred thousand warrior-souls,
The sisters threw into the fight.
The bells in every tower tolled,
Appealing to the gods by night.

The younger sister scorned her oaths,
With spells she gained the upper hand.
She led her force to Acranoath,
Where her rival took her stand.

She reached the shrine of Gathrasteen,
Where on the steps her sister stood,
"My vict'ry can be clearly seen!
Your reign is over now- for good!"

So the victor hailed her foe,
But she in all her glowing pride,
Did not her sister's secret know:
Of power from the darker side.

Then Jadis, elder of the two,
Replied in calm and icy voice:
"The vict'ry's won, you've spoken true!
But it is I who shall rejoice!"

And as her sister's soldiers rushed,
She uttered but a single word;
At once the world of Charn was hushed,
And not another sound was heard.

At last the world was at her feet,
For all beneath her feet were dead:
In ancient halls she took her seat,
Where living foot would never tread.

But in these halls she wove a spell,
That she in darkness long would sleep,
Until some hand will strike the bell
Which hangs inside her mighty keep.

"Make your choice, adventurous stranger,
Strike the bell, and bide the danger,
Or wonder, 'till it drives you mad,
What would have followed, if you had..."
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Re: The Song of The Last Queen

Postby coracle » Jul 18, 2019 1:08 pm

Oh this is great!!
Thank you for your excellent work, and for sharing it.
You kept the same structure and feeling right through, and it does make the reader want to read the book next!
“Not all of us can choose what we give up. The things we love are taken or are never ours at all. If we’re lucky, life is defined not by what we let go, but what we let in: friendship and kind words, frailty and hope.”

From 'Call The Midwife', S9 Ep2
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Re: The Song of The Last Queen

Postby Cleander » Jul 18, 2019 6:44 pm

Thanks so much! Let me know how your 355th re-reading of the book goes! =))
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