This post is full to the brim with marvellous fables, legends and wonders that will simply set any poetic imagination alight. I particularly love "At Tintagel" and feel no need to comment on it because you have done so admirably in your intro, which, in my view, adds greatly to a proper understanding of the poem. By the way, if any reader wishes to explore this Arthurian legend further, I would highly recommend watching John Boorman's Classic movie, Excalibur.
At Tintagel
by Michael R. Burch
The legend of what happened on a stormy night at Tintagel is endlessly intriguing. Supposedly, Merlin transformed Uther Pendragon to look like Gorlois so that he could sleep with Ygraine, the lovely wife of the unlucky duke. While Uther was enjoying Ygraine’s lovemaking, Gorlois was off getting himself killed. The question is: did Igraine suspect that her lover was not her husband? Regardless, Arthur was the child conceived out of this supernatural (?) encounter.
That night,
at Tintagel,
there was darkness such as man had never seen . . .
darkness and treachery,
and the unholy thundering of the sea . . .
In his arms,
who can say how much she knew?
And if he whispered her name . . .
“Ygraine”
. . . could she tell above the howling wind and rain?
Could she tell, or did she care,
by the length of his hair
or the heat of his flesh, . . .
that her faceless companion
was Uther, the dragon,
and Gorlois lay dead?
Published by Songs of Innocence, Celtic Twilight, Fables, Fickle Muses and Poetry Life & Times
This post is full to the brim with marvellous fables, legends and wonders that will simply set any poetic imagination alight. I particularly love "At Tintagel" and feel no need to comment on it because you have done so admirably in your intro, which, in my view, adds greatly to a proper understanding of the poem. By the way, if any reader wishes to explore this Arthurian legend further, I would highly recommend watching John Boorman's Classic movie, Excalibur.
At Tintagel
by Michael R. Burch
The legend of what happened on a stormy night at Tintagel is endlessly intriguing. Supposedly, Merlin transformed Uther Pendragon to look like Gorlois so that he could sleep with Ygraine, the lovely wife of the unlucky duke. While Uther was enjoying Ygraine’s lovemaking, Gorlois was off getting himself killed. The question is: did Igraine suspect that her lover was not her husband? Regardless, Arthur was the child conceived out of this supernatural (?) encounter.
That night,
at Tintagel,
there was darkness such as man had never seen . . .
darkness and treachery,
and the unholy thundering of the sea . . .
In his arms,
who can say how much she knew?
And if he whispered her name . . .
“Ygraine”
. . . could she tell above the howling wind and rain?
Could she tell, or did she care,
by the length of his hair
or the heat of his flesh, . . .
that her faceless companion
was Uther, the dragon,
and Gorlois lay dead?
Published by Songs of Innocence, Celtic Twilight, Fables, Fickle Muses and Poetry Life & Times
Excalibur is one of my favorite movies, a "must watch" IMHO.
I also recommend The Once and Future King as one of the all-time great books.
Great stuff!