Board :Poetry
Author :Archon Poems
Subject :1st Place by Aolis
Date :11/5
~Winds of Warning~

"NO!" screamed the woodsman
As he ran past our clan
"I heard it. I'm next. Help me!" he cried
Watching him scurry in terror, I sighed

Everyone knew the story, the tale, the curse
When through the woods you did traverse
From the time you heard the singing within
Only three nights were left until your end

"Not just for me, but for all of you too!"
The madness had started, for that we knew
A poisonous mushroom perhaps he ate?
Death is the only thing that might await

With dark circles from lack of sleep
He ran door to door, no sanity to keep
"It's telling us to stop expanding our village!"
Like the druids whose wilderness "too much did we pillage"

From annoyance, our sympathy quickly waned
For three days endlessly, did it seem he complained
It was the final day, so we said our goodbyes
In hope to soon find peace in his demise

As the sun slowly fell below the trees
A sweet singing could be heard carried on the breeze
Not just for the woodsman, but for all to hear
Whatever it came from, was drawing near

The ground suddenly began to quake
In the town square, did all the villagers await
From within the forest did enormous bulls emerge
On the ground like a river, did boundless snakes surge

I quickly turned round, my feet did not drag
Only to find us surrounded by gigantic stags
A booming voice from behind them did give rise
From out the veil he stepped, tree-like body and glowing eyes

With just a glance, everyone knew the stories were all true
Like an endless number of branches from his head, antlers grew
"The Great Horned One" had we angered with our greed
I SENT YOU MANY WARNINGS, BUT NONE OF THEM DID YOU HEED

Too much had we taken without concern
Too many animals had been eaten without giving in turn
Never had we asked for his blessing, but instead
Only taking, as the forest cut by our deeds endlessly blead

FOR WHAT YOU HAVE TAKEN, IT IS TIME TO GIVE BACK
As vines whipped up around our legs in quick attack
Our bodies squeezed dry, our village swallowed whole
Into new trees were guided our souls

In balance did he keep, as we've lived on as nature
Only in our bodies' death, could we see something greater
Through our leaves on the wind do we sing warnings to those
That their respect for nature into greed might transpose


~Aolis