The Knight

Location

You’re not like other dads at all
We can’t play tag
We can’t play ball
How was it that you got this way?
                     I was a knight back in the day
A knight?
                     That’s right
You had a sword?
                     A mighty blade, son,
                     Take my word
And armor too?
                     The best
For real?
                    Crafted from the finest steel
How bout a horse?
                     A stallion, white
Wow! 
You really were a knight!
And they trusted you to protect the land?
Of course,
I was the King’s right hand
Did you slay a dragon?
Yep, and more
You never told me that before
I vanquished many foes,
But, see
One had quite a fight for me
For you? 
No way
Watch what you say
Some enemies are tough to slay
What did they call him?
Many things
And to this day, 
His bite still stings
How’d you beat him?
I don’t think I should...
C’mon please?
I bet it’s good
The King told me about the beast
And about the victims on which he’d feast
Young children,
Boys,
Some just like you,
And so I knew what I had to do
You killed him
Not yet
The journey was long
But that’s the part that made me strong
There were mountains to climb
Did it rain?
It poured
And sometimes I’d get really bored
And lonely?
Yes,
But rather than sorrow,
It added more fuel to my fight for tomorrow
Were you ever robbed by bandits?
Yes, quite a lot
It felt like they’d taken everything that I’d got
And did they?
No way 
I still had my self-worth
And I never gave up on my will to move forth
So when did you find him?
It took many years
But by then I was ready to conquer my fears
Was he in a cave?
A tower so high
When I looked at the first step, I let out a sigh
But I climbed it
You made it?
All the way to the top
It was hard, but I told myself, “Go
You can’t stop”
Was the tower scary?
All dark and gray?
Yes, 
But a fiery torch lit the way
When I got to the top,
There he was in his lair
He saw me but didn’t attack 
He just stared
I took out my sword
He let out a growl
I yelled, “You’ll be slain!”  to this creature most foul
But just then I saw,
Out the side of my eye
A baby, in blankets, 
Who started to cry
I turned,
But the beast,
His tail swung around 
He hit me and knocked me right into to the ground
Ow
That’s right
And he thought he’d won
But I got up and told him, “You won’t take my son!”
It was me?
Of course, 
That’s why I made the climb
I was destined to do this,
And I knew the whole time
When I got up, 
He grabbed me,
Sunk his teeth in my arm
But I couldn’t just let him bring you the same harm
I reached for my sword
(With my good arm this time)
And I slew him with one hand
He paid for his crime
But the baby, I saw,
You were right on the ledge
“Oh, no,” I yelled, 
“He’ll fall off the edge!”
I reached out and caught you in just the right time
And said “That was close 
Now down we must climb”
We returned to the kingdom
But my wound,
That would stay
And it looked like my knighthood had seen its last day
So the bite?
That’s how you got like this?
That’s right
And I’m glad it’s you he missed
 

Comments

Additional Resources

Get AI Feedback on your poem

Interested in feedback on your poem? Try our AI Feedback tool.
 

 

If You Need Support

If you ever need help or support, we trust CrisisTextline.org for people dealing with depression. Text HOME to 741741