Four men in chainmail, arrived on horseback,
Quickly dismounted, in the sunlit grass.
Out in a field the farmers looked-up from toil,
Shielded their eyes from the blaze of the sun.
Soon the ditch was full of farmers’ bodies:
There was no fight, and the king’s men knew,
That afternoon, exactly what to do,
A strong-box, hidden underneath a bed,
Was emptied and the men loaded pouches,
With handfuls of copper pieces, laughing.
A mouthful of corn never stopped orders
From being given, the men took their places,
Of hiding. When an hour had passed, the door,
Opened suddenly upon a figure,
Clothed in the raiment of the teachers.
‘Where the hell is everybody?’ a young,
Woman asked, and met silence and furtive
Movement from the shadows of the kitchen.
As she turned, a blanket was thrown-up,
And it covered all her head and arms, so
That the guards could move-in and take her down.
Muffled screams disturbed the horses outside.
There was a fair share of laughter within,
For in broad daylight the King’s will was done.
__________
Copyright 2023 Jeffrey Merk
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