GRENDEL'S AUNT (an original poem) - Part 4
This metered ode is written by a faery poet named Brighid. She's a character in my novel, The Grim Girl's Gallowglass. In pre-Christian Irish mythology, Brigid (spelled differently) was a member of the Tuatha Dé Danann, a supernatural race. She was the goddess "whom poets adored." She writes this poem over the course of the novel.
"Grendel's Aunt" follows a hero named Hymm who transacts a business deal with Dwenndis, aunt of the monster Grendel, from Beowulf.
“Walk with us, Grendel, and hear this knight's plan
to play out a fictional war.”
At the heard word of war Grendel quickened his gait;
for destructive desires a war will instate.
The three strolled the cesspool of Lake Mon Santeau
and voiced the deception's potential.
Grendel was now economically piqued,
and was curious what he would earn.
“I'm not a communist, just so you know,
and labor-based theories of value don't show
how the time you spend milking has any effect
on the value I place on the milk.
“And so,” Hymm continued, “my ledgers will show
that reward calculations are tricky.
Wages only ensure that you show up to play.
If our staging ensures that I'm saving the day,
You can't expect rises in your rate of pay.
In conclusion, your wage will be sticky.”
Dwenddis stepped in as an affable agent
agreeing to all the knight's terms,
seizing the genius of this opportunity;
moving a monster took great ingenuity.
Grendel was wary, but signed on the line
with a claw-fitted Waterman pen.
I'm enjoying reading this tale in it's poetic brilliance. It's great story telling, with the subtle humour adding to it.
Thank you, and I appreciate your chatting with me about it... I'm enjoying your work, too!