From merely a whisper to full force gale
The tale of the wanderer
The fate of the plunderer
Regal Valor went near and went far
Roaming the ruins after the war
Rifling through ashes, sifting through dirt
Filling his sashes with another man’s worth
Occasionally into the city he’d stroll
When his wagon has heavy and packs grew full
He’d set up a booth in the center of town
Polishing treasures and spreading them ‘round
On display, for seekers to find
Trinkets of ghosts, wealth left behind
Someone else's belongings they worked hard to own
Now a barterers ill-gotten pockets weighed low
The wind grew weary of this traveling show
In frustrated anger it started to blow
The tale of the wanderer
The fate of the plunderer
Regal Valor plundered an old house in the vale
He found treasures astounding he hoped to regale
A locket of silver refined and ornate
Held meaning to some poor dead lover’s fate
He tore the locket from its skeleton home
Greed ripping through the calcified bone
Held aloft the silver glistened and shone
Reflecting light on the shattered neck where once it was worn
What could be gained from such beauty arrayed
How much coin could one possibly garner in trade
“I’ll be rich!’ the finder shouted aloud
Not noticing the foreboding darkening cloud
The wind marshaled armies of formidable strength
Thunder and lightning bolts, considerable length
The tale of the wanderer
The fate of the plunderer
Regal Valor took pride as he set the high price
No meager offer or trade would suffice
He made plans for the all of the money he’d make
He’d purchase honor, buy his namesake
The locket was coveted by many an eye
But no one could buy it, the price was too high
By chance an ex-soldier decided to shop
On seeing the locket his jaw did drop
“Where did you find this?” veteran asked vendor
“A locket so glorious, shining with splendor?
One could search far and wide and not find its match
And the lover it lures would be quite a catch!”
The wind and his armies crouched just over the hill
And listened intently, steady and still
The tale of the wanderer
The fate of the plunderer
The merchant replied to the veteran inquirer
“Indeed it would make you a man of desire
But treasures like this aren’t given away
Come tell me, fine sir, what price would you pay?”
“I’d travel away from my family and friends
I’d fight for their honor, their lands I’d defend
With my savings of youth and all in my pocket
I once purchased a twin to this silver locket
On my lover’s neck I laid it upon my leaving
Never thinking I would be the one grieving”
He reached out and clutched the neck of the vendor
“Now tell me again where you found such splendor!”
The wind paced back and forth
It blew south, it blew north
The tale of the wanderer
The fate of the plunderer
Regal Valor the wanderer locked in the grip
Like a captain going down alone with the ship
“Finders keepers, isn’t that the saying?”
He choked out his answer before he began praying
But just before the soldier acted on his will
The wind and his armies rushed over the hill
The wind plucked Regal Valor away from the anger
And carried him aloft to much greater danger
The soldier was brushed aside, locket in hand
Thunder unleashed fury, lightning a reprimand
From the locket a voice cried, “Don’t judge him amiss”
So the wind brought Regal to wander the abyss
The wind tells the tale of true valor indeed
And tells of the plunderer’s black hole of greed
The tale of the wanderer
The fate of the plunderer
By Royce Waxenfelter
9/21/20
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