Another piece of writing recently had me tinker around with a retelling of the Hymn of the Pearl. It ain't much, but frankly, between plumbers and my cold I'm way behind on everything. Anyway, very much in SFD form:
Once upon a time, there was a youth who grew up in a celestial realm
Growing up, they took pride in the beauty of life and treated all well
Fate, however, demanded that his youth earn their place in this paradise
And so, they were given a sacred task by the rulers of this land:
To descend into the material realm, deliver a letter, and retrieve the Pearl of Wisdom
A simple enough task, it seemed, and so the youth was eager to accept
With a guide, they depart on their journey and it during their descent
The youth is given another warning: to beware the serpent guarding the Pearl;
It will not be eager to relinquish its most cherished treasure
Yet the task remains and the Pearl is their key back into the celestial realm
The further the youth ventures into the strange but charming material realm,
The quieter becomes the voice of his now-drowsy constant companion
Resolute in their task, the youth seeks out the thriving seaport
Journeys past the countless, charming, mystic treasure lining their path
And steps to the edge of the crystal-clear waters
Only to recoil at he glinting, vicious eyes of the serpent, seething in fury
And well-prepared to defend its precious from some wandering Melmoth
To avoid a direct confrontation, the youth seeks shelter at a nearby inn
Where a familiar face from their homeland accepts the letter and gives them a warning:
To be careful of who they might trust in this strange, unfamiliar land
Unable to help themselves, the youth begins to mingle with this colorful crowd
Listening to their unfamiliar stories, tasting their strange food, wine, and song;
At the end of this grand, insubstantial pageant, the vapors of the night dissipate
And the youth finds themselves once more alone, but more confused than ever;
They do not know their name, their background, their quest, or how long hey have strayed
The youth has dawdled so long in accomplishing their task that back home, worry has begun
And the Lights of the celestial realm, fearing they have overburdened their ward
Search out a fitting messenger and dispatch them to the material world
As our youth spends a groggy morning at the inn, still trying to remember themselves,
A familiar face walks into the room with a letter and, reading it, is reminded
Our youth, reminded of his long delay, is eager to finish their task and races along
Leaving the newcomer with a solemn, somber warning
They hurry to the seaside and, imbued with a renewed sense of purpose,
The vicious serpent is subdued, charmed, and tamed, taking for friend
What is once would destroy; the coiled Gordian mass becomes once more eternal Ouroboros
With the pearl in hand, they turn home and assume their place in the celestial realm
A gleaming Light in the divine stars above,
And thus ends our story.
Comments
Post a Comment