The Ladies of Horror
Picture-Prompt Writing Challenge!

In the shadow of the king  
by Alex Grehy

I do not know my Sire’s name,

nor do I know his queen,

yet I must bow and sing his praise

each dawn and dusk, it seems.

.

I like will never see his face,

nor will he ask of me,

when he takes my sons to war for him

across the great blue sea.

.

I doubt my Sire knows the names

of those conscripted youths, 

nor will he heed lists of the dead,

and their bitter truths

.

The King, no doubt, orders minions,

his caring is a sham, 

to dash the hopes of parents, 

with unsigned telegrams.

.

I would my King could spare a tear

for the fate of my late wife

whose grief festered, overwhelmed,

took her joy and then her life.

.

The King, on his solitary throne, proclaims

he knows our loss and understands,

shares the loneliness of our pain,

scatters comfort from his empty hands

.

Does my liege sit in the silent dark,

existence shrunken as a mouse,

heart beating like a hollow drum, 

all alone in an empty house?

.

Is my King’s life weighted with regret?

Does he brood on how his victory 

was built on the ruins of young men’s lives,

or is he celebratory?

.

I hear my Sire plans a fine parade,

The people’s will, they say,

to bring some cheer to blighted lives,

move us on to a bright new day.

.

My Sire does not know my name,

If I succeed, he never will,

I will have justice where his mercy failed,

when his blood is justly spilled.

.

Fiction © Copyright Alex Grehy
Image courtesy of Pexels.com

More from author Alex Grehy:

After a lifetime of writing technical non-fiction, Alex Grey is fulfilling her dream of writing poems and stories that engage the reader’s emotions. Her work has been featured by a wide range of publications including Siren’s Call, Raconteur, Bookends Review, and Toasted Cheese. One of her comic poems is also available via a worldwide network of public fiction dispensers managed by French publisher, Short Edition. Her ingredients for contentment are narrow boating, greyhounds, singing and chocolate. It is a sweet life, yet Alex’ original view of the world has led to her best friend to say ‘For someone so lovely, you’re very twisted!

Please click here to discover more!