Pastime

I'll wear my pride until it's tattered;
Until time ties me to a reply:
Forgiven marble with pointy skies.
And thine, the game I never dared win;
The shoulder I never had the chance to cry on.
But had I reason to shed tears, thou ask?
I'd known myself till thou unveiled the mask.
Thou ne'er saw my place before thee:
Serene marble with open skies.
And thine, the chess-table with one chair aside.
Was this thine ambition?
To rob me of my knights and squires,
Shatter my throne, tear my crown?
What argument hast thou now,
Wouldeth thou've sent me then,
While mourning my realm,
Another pawn to serve the purpose?
What replacement wouldeth've that made?
Thou say'st I know too well:
Encrypted marble, restored skies.
A queen is free when hope is not -
Grasped by the horrid hands of fate;
I raise my head, thou sayest it suits me,
Better than any gown I'd ever wear;
Thou send'st thine lords to reach my castle,
I send thee word that they had better leave -
They know the path to walk, thou walked it first
When thou'd return from my revelries ere now.
Rememberst thou how we danced till dawn?
Thou'd sayeth I was the most gracious of all -
Doubt never touched my heart, thou see'st;
Yet thine promise, to be thine queen, did ever.
Then what receiv'st thou, upon conquering?
Hail from every soul thou reignst upon?
"No, ma'am, thine beautious hand to hold I wish",
Art thou sane enough to breathe?, I ask.
"No, ma'am, for before my conquest,
I never was intent to hurt thine heart.
Thine conscience has taught me well, indeed,
To search first above my head for beauty."
Thine voice cannot turn my head with joy,
For I cannot cheer the ashes, if there is no fire.
What was I to thee? A pastime dull?
The challenge of thine existence?
Should the latter be thine thought, as it is,
Pray be quiet, speak no further.
I have endured few worse sounds.
"I cannot sit still, ma'am, do forgive;
I intrude to make it known, I'm chained!
Thine soft marble face, the skies I love,
Chain me further, silence cannot do!
Thou art the first, I fear the last;
I have my reason, do hear my word:
The pride of a king hath a short life,
Whereas a queen's survives a falling sky,
A gentle brow is deep enough to carve
A failing castle, back upon its grounds;
I could have not been me, thine grateful slave -
The palace nearby wouldeth have sufficed to me;
Yet the grief unbearable for a king, I know,
Wouldeth have turned my smile in a voiced terror.
I cannot injure my people to the extent there is;
But thou, ma'am, can'st see the shadow of my heart -
The remainder of a joyous ocean
Has turned apace into the mellow pound thou see'st.
Then I thought, perhaps too wrong I did,
That thou wouldeth help my shards of glory.
I never was intent to hurt thee, ma'am,
But rather help thee build thine story."
Thou'st learnt thine speech well, I gather;
Thine face shows little of what you tell though;
Sought thou my guidance, my compassion were thine;
Yet thou pretended to help me, my trust for thee fell.
I know not now what my response shouldeth be;
Thou seem'st to strengthen thine words,
Thine eyes no longer wander hereabout;
Thou fancy'st that I needeth thine aid,
A good remark that, I fear, cannot be paid
But with a most visible laugh, I bid thee adieu -
"Ma'am, leave not, I have ere exposed my armor
To the powerful sunlight, thou can'st not leave;
My pride may not live long, I doubt it not;
Thou can'st neither, for thou see'st my eyes,
Thou hear'st my voice now, pray remain;
My pride may not live long, yet it is alive;
Now still, I feign to understand thine pain.
I can't however, have forgiveness,
For no other king has proven strong enough
To urge me - be thine fellow in distress!-
Yet ma'am,--"
Say no word, or I shall take my all and leave!
Thou hast hurt me long enough,
No price that has been paid can be refilled!
You have left me empty, deserted -
Your army, indeed, better than mine;
I have endured everything, but thine bragging
I can bear not! How can'st thou say,
With so peaceful a grace, that I,
Without courage, without might at all,
Was unable to reject thine forfeit,
That I'd let myself fall, kneel even before thee,--
"Ma'am, hear my plea, I beg;
These words I have never said, upon my word!
But rather feigned to see myself
The best of warriors, yet I can see
These words do not embrace thine fear;"
Fear?! Sense'st thou fear among the storm?
Then the rain can't wash the dirt upon thine eyes!
"Then have I no hope at all? Art thou still that far?"
Thou givest me no choice, I cannot love a hollow star;
Thou art of remarkable marble,
Upon a distant sky.