The Lass and the Fire Worm

By Cliff Lake

 

 

The Lass and The Fire Worm

 

Come child to the realm of the Fire Worm,

Listen to the tale of the Hero and learn,

Of the sword she bore that they name Slice,

And the Shifting Shield and how the Worm died twice.

 

Listen child to the tale of the bravest lass,

Armored in unbreakable glass,

Singing in battle with implacable foe,

Driving the Worm up mountain with every blow.

 

See there child, in snow a fire quenched,

See the Worm’s tail about the Hero clench.

See now how Slice will do its work,

See the Shifting Shield and Lass and the Worm’s fell irk.

 

See now child the Worm without fire,

But not nearly weakened in ire,

See it rise above the Hero for the crushing blow,

But Slice and Shield and Lass ready themselves below.

 

See child, in the Worm’s eye all these weapons gleam,

And indomitable Lass, hear her warrior’s scream!

There the Worm does pale, its end is nigh,

It does obeisance ‘neath the starless sky.

 

But know child, no Worm will to its word remain true,

And the Hero Lass learned well and knew,

That these bows and scrapes were but mere feint,

And that this Worm would suffer no constraint.

 

Know now child that Slice did cleave its neck,

And the Fire Worm was left atop the mountain in wreck.

But to quell the Worm’s fire once and forever,

It takes more than just the head that one must sever.

 

Hear me child, the Fire Worm can be killed by merest dart,

Far more than head and tail, it is almost completely wicked heart.

So, the Lass left it to bleed black into the snow,

But neglected to pierce it’s hide in the chest for final blow.

 

Look you child, the Worm rises anew,

To slink behind the Hero and see her death through!

But the Shifting Shield slides now to her back!

The Worm is thus foiled in its attack!

 

Behold child, the battle is again begun!

Neither Lass nor Worm will give quarter until its done.

See the Lass she stumbles weary and tired,

And the Worm leaps to see her expired!

 

Witness child, Slice now rising to meet the beast!

And Worm’s plunge forces the blade where its wanted least!

The sword is buried up to its hilt,

But the heart is found, the Worm is killed.

 

Come child to the realm of the Fire Worm.

Listen to the tale of the Hero and learn,

Of the sword she bore that they name Slice,

And the Shifting Shield and how the Worm died twice.

 

Cliff Lake 4/9/2023

Copyright © Clifford Lake 2023

 

 

Location: Dalton, MA, USA

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