Arthurian Poems Iii

Uther’s Last Battle by Michael R. Burch When Uther, the High King, unable to walk, borne upon a litter went to fight Colgrim, the Saxon King, his legs were weak, and his visage bitter. “Where is Merlyn, the sage? For today I truly feel my age.” All day long the battle raged and the dragon banner was sorely pressed, but the courage of Uther never waned till the sun hung low upon the west. “Oh, where is Merlyn to speak my doom, for truly I feel the chill of the tomb.” Then, with the battle almost lost and the king besieged on every side, a prince appeared, clad all in white, and threw himself against the tide. “Oh, where is Merlyn, who stole my son? For, truly, now my life is done.” Then Merlyn came unto the king as the Saxons fled before a sword that flashed like lightning in the hand of a prince that day become a lord. “Oh, Merlyn, speak not, for I see my son has truly come to me. And today I need no prophecy to see how bright his days will be.” So Uther, then, the valiant king met his son, and kissed him twice— the one, the first, the one, the last— and smiled, and then his time was past. *** It Is NOT the Sword! by Michael R. Burch This poem illustrates the strong correlation between the names that appear in Welsh and Irish mythology. Much of this lore predates the Arthurian legends, and was assimilated as Arthur’s fame (and hyperbole) grew. Caladbolg is the name of a mythical Irish sword, while Caladvwlch is its Welsh equivalent. Caliburn and Excalibur are later variants. “It is not the sword, but the man,” said Merlyn. But the people demanded a sign? the sword of Macsen Wledig, Caladbolg, the “lightning-shard.” “It is not the sword, but the words men follow.” Still, he set it in the stone ?Caladvwlch, the sword of kings? and many a man did strive, and swore, and many a man did moan. But none could budge it from the stone. “It is not the sword or the strength,” said Merlyn, “that makes a man a king, but the truth and the conviction that ring in his iron word.” “It is NOT the sword!” cried Merlyn, crowd-jostled, marveling as Arthur drew forth Caliburn with never a gasp, with never a word, and so became their king. Originally published by Songs of Innocence, then by Romantics Quarterly, Neovictorian/Cochlea and Celtic Twilight. Keywords/Tags: King Arthur, Arthurian, Merlin, round table, knights, stone, sword, Excalibur, chivalry, Camelot, Uther Pendragon, England, literature, myth, magic, romance, romantic, war, Colgrim, Anglo-Saxon