Lament for Lady Beth
by Jonas Hyde
T’was once a man who walked this cobbled street,
with quill and ink in hand,
who accomplished such a magnificent feat,
on a scale so wide and grand,
for he was a poet true,
known far across this land,
as a smith of words, oft who,
wove tales littered of romance and fears,
with a skill matched world ‘round by few,
by those who strived to be his peers,
but little did they know his words were, in actuality, scribed with real blood and tears.
In past by day, using wit and charm,
he enticed women without regard,
but by night, to them each and all, would only come pain and harm,
a curse he could not control tho’ he tried so hard,
the monster dwelling within his dreams,
leaving women lifeless and his own psyche scarred,
for every morn’ he woke, he heard their deathly screams,
and tho’ this poet named Elias at birth,
would try numerous plans and schemes,
his life was void of happiness and mirth,
causing him to challenge in truth, his eventual purpose and own self-worth.
Tho’ his curse had not always been,
‘stead coming to him after deal with Tempter was made,
for fame and fortune was his sin,
and this curse fore’er was his trade,
unless his heart could find love’s hue,
and for that every day he prayed,
but with each eve that passed he knew,
morrow’s morn would be ushered by death so cruel,
serving up his own tears of rue,
leaving him to play the fool,
learning hard that sorrow following sin was an eternal rule.
‘Til the fateful day when this story starts,
as most lessons do,
when love at first sight ravaged young lovers’ hearts,
as if born from a sorcerer’s brew,
for it was then when he met her,
woman beautiful so, with raven’s hair and eyes as deep as ocean blue,
and our poet’s heart quickly began to stir,
lost within the presence of she who stole his breath,
as the world ‘round him began to blur,
he vowed ne’er to love again by pledge of his own death,
save for this woman simply known as Lady Beth.
‘Pon shared breath their love was sealed,
costing to start not even a word,
for when looking into each other’s eyes their souls were healed,
and tho’ some may find it absurd,
their lives seemed eternally blessed,
and it was then when to Elias it occurred,
to put such thoughts true to the test,
for if Lady Beth truly had an effect so,
then it would also suggest,
that perhaps she could ease his nightly woe,
and salvation, her love could bestow.
So with that their courtship began,
and their love started to grow,
love which made Elias a better man,
for by day and night his heart blazed aglow,
with the thought of Lady Beth’s touch,
‘til after six months time he simply had to know,
if his salvation could be simple as such,
as sharing his world with she,
or if it were asking too much,
so that evenfall her took her to the sands bordering the sea,
and as dusk fell, Elias made his plea.
“Lady Beth I speak to you now,”
as he held her hands in his so tight,
“and ‘pon my ain heart I make you this sacred vow,
fore’er for us shall begin tonight,
and last even past our ends,
if you will accept my invite,
to be so much more than friends,
to become my wife,
for our love transcends,
for with you I want to share my life,
and with that, end all of our trials and strife.”
As was her way,
Lady Beth looked deep into his eyes,
and even tho’ there were no precise words to say,
how she felt and how he made her heart rise,
her gaze said it all,
for she could not disguise,
how love which started so small,
could quickly grow so deep,
how he had been there when she herself was about to fall,
for even she had secrets to keep,
which when alone at night would softly make her weep.
For in the darkness of her own past,
were secrets locked away,
undisclosed whispers that were in stark contrast,
to how she felt on this day,
for in her youth,
she was feasted upon as prey,
deflowered in a way so uncouth,
the very thought of it brought tears and pain,
and no matter how hard she tried to hide the truth,
she could not refrain,
from having tears of fear fall oft as London rain.
So together these two stayed,
the night through on this beach,
comforting each other so neither was afraid,
of the night’s tortuous reach,
and for the first time in fore’er,
for both and each,
they longed to awake together or never,
as they pledged each other their eternal love,
a bond which would never sever,
to put the other on a pedestal tall and above,
a feeling that ‘fore neither had dreamed of.
Starting with a touch, followed with a kiss,
their passion was secured,
penetrating bliss,
and with that Elias was assured,
that Lady Beth was the one,
as when morning came he thought he was cured,
for the first time in fore’er his love rose with the sun,
and watching her as she dressed,
his curse seemed finally undone,
lost within her smell, her warmth, her life, he noticed upon her breast,
a perfect mark from birth, in the likeness of a wren’s nest.
So noon next they returned home and plans begun,
as Lady Beth shared the news,
family and friends were all excited save one who would not be outdone,
sister Anne who concocted a ruse,
to pillage Elias’ love and lust,
to try and replace his muse,
to try and gain his trust,
for visage with sister she shared,
twins at birth, though harboring a silent disgust,
a hatred born of always being compared,
wishing it would be for her, not Lady Beth, that people cared.
The day came when Elias and his love were to wed,
so Anne put her plan into motion,
to take Lady Beth’s place at the altar in her stead,
for she had come up with the notion,
that Elias’ love should be hers,
so in secret she concocted a potion,
a recipe passed down from the most venomous saboteurs,
which would create a lasting sleep,
so that what next occurs,
would be her sin to reap,
but then, as most already know, the cost of such follies is never cheap.
With a villain’s deftly grace,
Anne met her sister alone,
and under the guise of offering good luck’s embrace,
she enacted her plan which only the Tempter would condone,
for the potion had been laced,
within the fabric of the veil that was hand sewn,
which when ‘pon Lady Beth it was placed,
the fumes were inhaled,
causing her to fall o’er at the waist,
into waiting Anne’s arms, as her plan had detailed,
leaving her to smile, for she knew she had prevailed.
Anne next placed her sister ‘pon the ground,
with one final task to complete,
tho’ she had to hurry ‘fore they were found,
to quickly finish this act of deceit,
so Anne unbuttoned the dress,
which concealed Lady Beth’s heartbeat,
and no longer able her vileness to suppress,
she inked ‘pon self the likeness to,
the mark of which her sister’s breast did possess,
the wren’s nest she matched through and through,
‘pon herself as if birth’s true tattoo.
And though it sounds so tragic,
with plan complete, Anne left her sister to die,
to let the potion work its dark magic,
so she could be ever so sly,
and have Elias for herself, for all of time,
even tho’ their love would be a lie,
Anne cared not of her crime,
she simply wanted Elias in a way she could not explain,
as her lust for this poet was truly sublime,
so her sister’s life she would feign,
if it meant with Elias she could remain.
Anne next went to the alter in a rush,
and as she saw the poet there ready and waiting,
her face started to blush,
witnesses thought its cause was love visually translating,
but rather it was the sign of sin’s pact being completed,
for Anne the duality of the moment was elating,
and with Lady Beth defeated,
that night with Elias would be breathtaking,
caring not that she cheated,
for in the moment of their love making,
all else would be forsaken.
So let this story now move to that exact second,
as it is a question oft’ asked,
when Elias’ manhood did Anne’s flower beckon,
in that moment how did true love remain masked,
the answer is one of which any man would not be proud,
for it comes down simply to within her petals he basked,
lost within the moment’s cloud,
thinking it was with his love Lady Beth that his body danced,
not knowing he was deceived by sin’s shroud,
and even when ‘pon the heaving nest he glanced,
the visage of the beauty ‘for him left Elias entranced.
Unfortunately for Anne, Elias’ story she did not know to heed,
leaving her open to a fate she did not expect,
for after sealing their vows with his seed,
she fell asleep in his arms thinking all was perfect,
and it was, ‘til he too fell into night’s slumber,
when for the first time in fore’er the curse over his body came into effect,
the monster within he could not encumber,
and as it awoke,
Anne became just another number,
for his sin did hers provoke,
resulting in her death, fate’s cruel joke.
But day next when Elias rose with the morn’s light,
he was sent into unending despair,
for by his side was the most gruesome sight,
to which he could not stop his stare,
his love he thought he had killed,
for he was still unaware,
that Anne’s sinister plan had been fulfilled,
so instead he thought it was Lady Beth’s body there that did lay,
and all over him his grief spilled,
for he thought his love did the monster within him slay,
and it was a notion which would bring e’erlasting dismay.
Wanting to breath not a moment more,
Elias reached for the nearest blade,
for now himself he did abhor,
and in pain and grief the situation he weighed,
then wished for the strength to bring his own demise,
to unite in death with who he thought he betrayed,
so after whispering ‘pon her cheek his final goodbye,
he plunged the cutting edge deep into his chest,
but as he did he was then met with perhaps this story’s biggest surprise,
something he would ne’er have guessed,
causing him to utter out softly, “Tempter, why with me do you jest?”
For as life within Elias began to escape,
Lady Beth entered the room,
at first the poet did not believe the shape,
his eyes noticed as death began to loom,
but as she came ever so close,
his soul once more did true love consume,
“O’ how fate blows,”
Elias whispered low,
“The Tempter’s plan is truly morose,
I know I reap what I sow,
but is it you my love, or a hoax, I must know ‘fore my soul is sent to the pits below?”
“Nay, it is no ruse which you see,
for I am really here,
it is truly me,”
Lady Beth replied as she drew herself near,
and in the moment that followed her story to him she did relate,
ending with how the poison’s strength was not so severe,
for it only made her sleep the night straight,
rather than through infinity,
a gift perhaps from fate,
a sign maybe even of heavenly divinity,
of which she was starting to forge a true affinity.
Crimson life dripped from his lips,
as Elias offered one last smirk,
he then placed his hands ‘pon her hips,
and uttered his last poet’s work,
offering to her alone his final piece,
as his body began to cough and jerk,
the pace of the words started to increase,
for it was then ‘Lady of my Dreams’ was said,
and ‘pon completion his life finally did cease,
causing her tears to be shed,
for in her arms his body finally fell dead.
Able not to bear the ache,
of her sister’s and lover’s end,
Lady Beth grabbed the blade herself so she could in death also partake,
for she knew her heart would ne’er mend,
and with that thought slit her own skin,
to join Elias as now both their soul’s were to descend,
for with her demise only the Tempter was to win,
but regardless of her torment,
knowing she would spend eternity with Elias made her finally grin,
and even though it was ne’er her intent,
for Lady Beth we shall fore’er lament.
Read Elias’ last words to Lady Beth. Click HERE to read ‘Lady of my Dreams’.
