Warrior Of Great Deeds

Warrior Of Great Deeds
© Surazeus
2024 04 16

While lounging in the feasting hall at dusk, 
after work all day crafting wagon wheels, 
I eat roasted steak and sip barley beer 
with pleasure of the muscle-sore craftsman 
who grins to watch beautiful women dance 
to enchanting melodies of the lyre. 

Across large hall of mural-painted walls, 
that show scenes from the Fall of Ilium, 
voice of some burly bearded guest booms loud 
as he relates adventures of his trip 
homeward after ten years fighting harsh war, 
and I half-listen to his haughty boast. 

With snicker bursting from my beer-full belly, 
I doubt tall tale the scar-faced warrior tells 
that, when trapped in large cave of gloomy fear, 
he tricked the one-eyed giant with sly ruse 
by clinging to belly of his fat sheep, 
then mocked him after stabbing out his eye. 

You are Nobody, I sneer with wry grin, 
when he relates how he devised that name 
to fool the blinded cyclops to declare 
that Nobody escaped prison of his power, 
because we hear proud travelers like him 
boast of their prowess to impress the crowd. 

While chuckling with contempt at boastful fool 
who weaves fanciful yarns of his grand deeds 
to awe the gullible with simple minds, 
I feel cold shiver slither up my spine, 
so I look up to see vain narcissist 
glare down at me with fury in gray eyes. 

Rising slowly to face conceited clown, 
who prevaricates of his wily ways, 
I return sharp glare of his blazing eyes 
though he towers tall over my small frame, 
then duck when he swings fist to punch my face 
and slip free from grasp of his bear-paw hands. 

More swift and lithe on limber legs of grace 
I out-wit wily warrior of great deeds, 
swift as the fox that fools the lumbering bear 
till I trip his bull-thick legs with sly swipe 
that knocks him down flat on his burly face, 
so I sit on his head and pat his cheek. 

Offering beer to snarling Odysseus, 
I help him stand and lead him to his seat, 
then listen as he relates sweet romance 
how he won heart of kind Penelope 
who waits for him with aching heart of hope 
till we all sink into soul-drunken sleep.