| The yeoman brothers are aligned With Fortus’ strong intent, And through the aid of Loving Spright, Escape imprisonment. |
| 1. Four brothers and one brave man in a cell Beneath the tower at the city’s core Are biding time as they are thinking well How they might fight their way back to the war They know will soon resume; Can they implore Their queen to change her angry mind and heart? Can they break through the shuttered prison door? Each man determines he will do his part To fight the battle to its end, and from its start. 2. Enthuzias says: Let’s break down these bars; It’s worth the effort and the risk of harm; Who cares about a few cuts, scrapes and scars — And what if someone raises an alarm? These are our men — they’d follow us, and warm Their comrades to the effort, I am sure; Then we’d resume our places and so arm The city for its struggle to endure Or fall into a future dark and insecure. 3. Episthomas now frowns and shakes his head: We have rebelled, and suffered properly This punishment; Brother, what you have said Compounds our crime, is that not plain to see? Suppose we make petition peacefully To ask Queen Glorianna if we can be spared Her judgment and be blessed with clemency; Why leave her army thinned and unprepared? The town is innocent — we are the ones who erred. 4. How have we erred? Integritis laughs then; We stood up for our brother, who behaved As anyone should have reacted when A monster’s on the loose; In fact he braved Great danger, and should have his name engraved Upon a monument to civic pride Instead of being locked up by the folk he saved; To call this error — that I can’t abide; Emergencies arise, and sweep such thoughts aside. 5. Yet err we did, young Caritas retorts, Against the hopes and wishes of our queen, And broke her heart, and plagued her with all sorts Of cutting pains — and this is what I mean Speaking of error — and yet to be seen Is how we can redeem our mutual fault, Transform it into action that will glean Some good from all this sorrow, crack this vault So we are free to meet the Archimag’s assault. 6. The four of you are of two minds it seems, Laughs Fortus, like the hours of a day After the sun is gone, when yet its beams Light up the darkening sky in such a way That if it’s day or night, no one can say; So our whole world hangs in suspended state, And eager as you are to join the fray, You brothers — back and forth you agitate In your confusion, you can hardly stand to wait. 7. The world’s awash in swirling twilight now, States Fortus, and the clarity we crave Dissolves in shifting shadows that endow Obscurity with menace we would save Our friends from feeling, if we just could stave Off twilight for another hour or day; But twilight will wash over us, a wave Whose frightening power carries us away, Tremendous force, which no effort of ours can stay. 8. Our courage in a tumbling time like this Is courage pure, with not a jot to gain, No justifying victory, no bliss Triumphant, no surcease of weary pain, Bringing relief and gladness in its train; What lies ahead, convulsive as a quake, Will lay waste our assumptions, null and vain, And yet I call on you — not for the sake Of some glad outcome — join me in a glad mistake. 9. The brothers laugh. A glad mistake? Come now, Integritis insists, explain this quip; Peculiar time for joking, but somehow It feels like just the thing to loose the grip Of solemn worry we’ve let our minds slip Into, much heavier than bars and chains; So shed some light — relate something so flip As your remark to everything that pains The four of us; Hear, brothers, as the man explains. 10. We five, (he says) we linger at at the end Of everything that we have ever known; The Archimago’s army will descend Upon our people and our sovereign’s throne, And from the visions that I have been shown, Heartbroken, I expect catastrophe, A strong belief that I cannot condone, But based on something more than prophecy; Let’s face twilight together, men; Come join with me. 11. Yes, if we were shrewd men, we’d get away, And shun the coming battle, which is lost Before it is begun; It will not pay A farthing, and once more, its certain cost Will be paid at its end when we are tossed Into a ditch, or burnt upon a pyre Of proles whose names will never be embossed Upon a monument, proclaiming higher Aspirations to emulate and to admire. 12. And I could be mistaken many ways: Perhaps our fate was written long ago By powers far away, above the gaze Of our poor mortal eyes, I do not know; And maybe we are mere machines that go And stop, and start and cease, believing we Control the timing, when it is not so; So there is nothing that we do or see That we can say is brave, that we can say is free. 13. So all is error that I care about, A grand mistake to strive and care and try, And we should stay here mesmerized by doubt, And wisely wait for time to pass us by, Rest undisturbed until the day we die — And so we should, brothers, so we should; But I cannot and you cannot comply; And never would we, even if we could; Among us five, the reasons are well understood. 14. There is a battle to be fought against That force, that crushing wheel of fate, The powers that be, whatever powers fenced Our minds at birth — the very time and date When each of us could be styled an inmate; So join with me as I knock down this door, With me refuse to pause, refuse to wait; This summons from our souls we can’t ignore; Let’s rise to meet whatever twilight has in store. 15. For me, that settles it, the eldest speaks. And me as well, rejoins Enthuzias. Episthomas walks to the door and peeks Between the bars. Without much fuss We can break down this thing, as dangerous A proposition as that may appear To you, my brother, cautious Caritas. Oh no, the youth replies, I’ll gladly tear It down; It’s Glorianna’s rancor that I fear. 16. Integritis then huffs and shakes his head: Young brother, I agree — Encountering Her angry eyes is something I, too, dread, But not as much as I dread lingering In this bleak vault as brutal strangers bring Destruction to her people, and to her. Caritas claps his back. Your reasoning Affirms your good intentions, that’s for sure; We’ll trust the queen forgives and sees our motives pure. 17. Between the thunder and the lightning flash All nature holds its breath, anticipating, Bracing against the great, bone-shaking crash; Likewise in our affairs, the hesitating That must occur, the time spent waiting Between the resolution and the act Charges distorted time with enervating Frustration up until the word is backed By deed, when flashing thought provokes thundering fact. 18. The brothers and the Brave stand in suspense, Awaiting thunder, wondering how they can Effect this promise to join in defense Of their beleaguered city in the span Of time before the Archimago’s plan To smash its walls and steep its streets in gore Renders their words mere flashes in the pan, Thunderless flares, fit only to ignore; They stand and fret, then hear these words: Open the door. 19. Among them, only Fortus knows this voice, But he is startled no less than the rest; He knows the sound, and feels his heart rejoice To reunite with one who, in his quest, Has offered inspiration at the best Of times — But at this moment, questions block His happiness. Please tell me, Poverist, (He asks,) how you got here; How can you mock This brace of iron bars fixed with a stubborn lock? 20. Their minds awhirl, the brothers all react — Each readying himself for self defense. Cries Episthomas: Who is it has cracked The thickness of this vault? It makes no sense — Boring through walls of stone fit tight and dense — What sorcery is this? Step into the light! Fortus speaks up: We’re safe, there’s no offense; I know this voice, and with you I invite The speaker to come out and bring herself in sight. 21. Then from the deepest shadow of the cell A woman steps into the shifting light; Fair Poverist, whom Fortus knows full well, And who, he’s sure, has come to make things right, And set them free to join the coming fight; The brothers do not know her. I’m afraid (Integritis speaks up) this is some spright, Some demon whom the Archimago made, Who’ll lead us into error, counterfeiting aid. 22. Demands Episthomas: Fortus, say who This is, this angel in the dungeon! Miraculous — an unscathed passage through These solid walls; How could this have been done? Fortus replies: I can’t improve upon The information shown your puzzled eyes; This joins the list of wild phenomenon I have been witness to, all of which flies Into the face of reason — how, I can’t surmise. 23. This lady joined me on the western plain As I was making way to Mammon’s camp; You never would have recognized her then, (He points to her — she smiles,) a worn out tramp Whose womanhood was hidden neath the stamp Of hard treatment and brutal circumstance; I saw her die just when this flowering lamp I carry came to be, killed by a lance That pierced both Britomart and her by mad mischance. 24. Then (Poverist continues) came the mix Of innocent and guilty blood, and then Nowhere and everywhere, I could not fix My place, my person, anywhere; But when I found myself alive, transformed, again Myself, more than myself, newly reborn Brought through experience beyond my ken, I found myself with Fortus, who was worn, With grief; We reunited and soon ceased to mourn 25. I understand you do not know me, sir, (She says to Episthomas;) You suggest I am a creature of that predator Who seeks destruction of all that you love best; Fortus, recall that we devised a test So you would know that I am who you see. Yes, (Fortus says;) Now brothers, she’ll be dressed In flames after she takes these flowers from me, And we shall see that she is who she claims to be. 26. The flaming roses are but lightly tossed From Fortus to the lady — then, behold! Bright fire engulfs her body. She is lost! Cries Caritas. Oh no, she says; I told You of the test. These flames that now enfold Me in their warmth — Fortus, is this the sign That we agreed upon? Yes — flames that hold You in their grip, but do no harm, benign And comforting, (he says;) That was the test’s design. 27. She walks up to the door and opens it; The brothers stare, astounded at the sight — Then rush to exit. I will soon admit You through this door (she says;) I first invite You to take time to listen; In the fight, Spilled blood will mix its guilt and innocence; And when it does, explosions of great might Will rock the earth and overwhelm your sense, There’ll be a flaming harvest that will then commence. 28. She lifts two burning roses as one torch. Across the field of battle as you swing Your swords, she says, as jetting Greek fires scorch The city, as the missile engines groan and fling Great boulders, dashing walls and everything You ever held dear in this fairest place, And as you stop to count the dead and bring The shattered ones to succor, you may face A bounty of these emblems of hope and disgrace. 29. What do these burning blossoms signify? Questions Integritis: And you as well — The blooms should burn, and you, should not you die? Burning, yet thriving, brightening this hell With light and warmth and love (he pleads;) Please tell Us what we brothers now should think and feel About an angel in a prison cell — Breaking our chains and shattering the seal Of bondage, freeing us to further our ordeal. 30. She looks at him, and then the burning roses For some time, then she faces him once more. It’s natural, she says, that one supposes, When finding words is such an awkward chore That we’re perplexed; But we must not ignore The wordless insights we receive, transcending Speech, yes — but steeped in wisdom all the more; We see the blossoms and the fire blending, We see they’re dying, and we see they’re never-ending. 31. Continuing, she says: And what do you, You brothers standing in the prison cell, What do you mean? I tell you it is true That you are no less of a miracle Than these confounding roses; Can we tell, Using mere words, in every fine detail The meanings of the things we know full well? Somehow we comprehend, though our words fail; With that, I send the five of you out of this jail. 32. Integritis, then Caritas and then Episthomas, Enthuzias at last Bound through the door, set free to fight again. Fortus pauses to say: The die is cast, Dear Poverist, and yet I am aghast At what is coming with this angry dawn; I want us both to flee, to hold you fast Forever, never mind what’s coming on, Nor what has been before and is forever gone. 33. And yet this cannot be, he says; I’ll go. At this his lady sighs: Fortus, what we Now understand as you, and what we know As me will meet again soon, glad and free To live our lives as one, harmoniously; But even that glad circumstance will end — What’s known as you will say goodbye to me Once and for all, once and for all we’ll blend Into the All, that all things keep and comprehend. 34. Before you go, dear love, stop to hear this; Take time to look deep, deep into my eyes; (Despite the flames, she gives a healing kiss;) Recall the sage who troubled to advise — Live in the part of you that never dies; That part is unencumbered by a name, Untethered from all that dissatisfies; That peaceful heart of you — in me the same — Will guide our way back to the home from where we came. 35. So we shall meet at home then, says the Brave. Yes, so we shall, love, Poverist replies. Taking one last look, as if to engrave Her features on his memory, he pries Himself away at last, and fairly flies Straight up the staircase, through the prison gate, Onto the city streets; Alarms and cries Commanding, pleading, all anticipate The fight to come, the stress and strivings that await. finis canto viii |
| Glorianna Table of Contents |
| The Cantos |
| Appendices |