As June turned into July I had not yet decided to be a poet for the rest of my life. In fact at this time I was considering eschewing writing all together in order to join a monastery. However, my monastery journey is a different subject. This poem mark the height of my Chesterton obsession, and was written as a tribute to him. I had long considered Chesterton the greatest writer in the English language; and though my poetic tastes have changed he is still my first literary love, and holds the highest place in many genres of literature.
King Alfred Comes Again
July 2
The seven rods of seven sins upheld a fallen land.
But this ancient modern culture, was built upon the sand.
Decrepit west- dark joy of men- your pagan idols fell.
Your gods of Lust and Death and Pride descended into Hell.
You abandoned God for madness; and reason for your Lust.
Like Persian, Greek and Roman men your power turned to dust.
The Barb’rous Beast has come again. Consuming men in fright.
The end has come unto the West. It is a thrice black night.
The Barb’rous Beast out of the east has come in sin and rage.
He breathes sad fire and angry death, but dresses like a sage.
The Barb’rous Beast out of the east no longer bares his teeth.
He wields a pen and kills with ink out of his lair beneath.
Armies of Sin and Death and Night have come to stake their claim.
They wash the world in blood and lust- a storm that none will tame.
We men of God abandoned God in place and time gone by.
We men of God abandoned God; will God now let us die?
Though we forsook our God, our God, we turn to him again.
We beg the Lord, Almighty still, to save us in our pain.
And perhaps the Lord has listened, perhaps He heard our plea.
Perhaps He even sends him now, our lord and king to be.
As Alfred saved his merry land, in England’s Roman night,
From Danish prince and Viking ships-again he comes to fight.
For God does not fight Satan’s hoard, He won’t descend so low,
It falls to men to fight the fight and strike the final blow.
I see the hero coming forth. Yea Alfred rides again.
He does not bear a pike or sword, as when he fought the Dane.
No axe or bow or spear to wield, as when great Guthrum fell,
He fights instead with pen and ink, they send ideas to Hell.
The Brab’rous Beast comes from the east, and tells enchanting lies,
Of men who know no sin at all, because they are so wise.
But Alfred knows of many sins, committing more than one.
His soul is not immaculate; he is not God the Son.
He prays to one Immaculate, Immaculate in Heart,
For fortitude in exile, while they are still apart.
He wars on sin and Satan though death is but assured,
For death is not the end of things, because God’s Blood was poured.
King Alfred fights heroically for what he knows is true,
And has one banner, proudly flown, a lady dressed in Blue.
A stander flown above his ships, when he breaks war on Sin.
When Alfred holds this banner high, He knows that he shall win.
The sign is known from coast to coast, at home and foreign land.
Some seven swords do pierce Her Heart, and one is in Her hand.
The dogs of Death and Lust and Hate shall fall into the sea.
When Alfred comes again to men, our lord and king to be.
O Death where is your sting for us. Hark! Dawn will break anew.
Until us fickle men again abandon what is true.
This was the truth, and is truth still, though darkness may preside:
The world has ended many times, but Man has never died.
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