At Heaven's Gate - Parts 1 and 2

PART 1: THE MEETING Alone one night neath lantern light, I trudged a weary mile. Forlorn, I went with shoulders bent (the storms around me howled) until I met a Silhouette behind a sultry smile – She gazed with eyes that mesmerize (Her body caped and cowled) and stayed my way with question fey, ‘Why don’t you while awhile?’ Though timorous (with slow address and gestures pantomimed) Her voice was gracing echoes chasing waves in evening’s tide. The churchyard groaned, an organ moaned, the bells of midnight chimed while wanton winds awoke and dinned, and mistrals multiplied. The Persian moon, like stray balloon, arose and blithely climbed. The Silhouette (a pale brunette) arched eyebrows meant to please, and down the lanes, on windowpanes, the shadows danced and sighed. A meadowlark within the dark, somewhere behind the breeze, ennobled Her with wisps of myrrh while deigning to confide to nightingales veiled whispered tales of human vanities. She doffed her cloak before She spoke with sighs of sorrow sung (like mandolins, as night begins, when mourning day’s demise) and spun Her tale of grim travail and tears She'd shed when young. As jagged volts of thunderbolts lit up the dismal skies, a velvet fog embraced a bog in coils of curling tongues. Through summer vales and winter gales Her secret thoughts were voiced. Midst storms so cruel (neath lightning’s jewel that glistered on the ridge) She reminisced, She touched... we kissed... Her lips were wet and moist... A lighthouse dimmed, while moonbeams skimmed across a distant bridge to avenues where residues of shallow shades rejoiced. PART 2: HER TRAGIC TALE “Midst sweet perfume of youthful bloom, the lonely spirit braves and often cries and sometimes dies in quest of her amour.” While starry-eyed, a ship I spied, a’ sail upon the waves – the galleon docked, the gannets flocked, the Captain swept ashore where, debonair with gypsy flair, he led his salty knaves. In passing by, he caught my eye - I tried to hide a blush, but ambiance of innocence left fervour’s flames revealed. His gaze (defined by eyes that shined) beheld my cheek a’ flush. I bowed my head while caution fled, I felt my fate was sealed - a bird in spring with fledgling wing - he’d snared a falling thrush. He said ‘Hello’ - I answered ‘No’ and yet before he’d gone said I, ‘I’ll wait at Heaven’s Gate not far beyond the Pale’. At dusk he came neath moon aflame, and left before the dawn just humming tunes between the dunes that lined the sandy trail beside a pond where morning yawned, where swam an ebon swan. We met again, and once again, and once again, again entangled in a love called sin, in whirls of make-believe. While in my arms, with voice that charms, said he ‘I must explain - the tide awaits in distant straits and I must take my leave’. Then tempests stormed as passions swarmed through ardor’s hurricane. ‘Forsake your home and we may roam’ he smiled as if to tease and still naive, said I ‘I’ll leave, in silver buckled shoes’. He took the helm in search of realms, and quickly quit the quays - with tearful eyes, I bade goodbyes to fare-thee-well adieus and sailed above a wave of love across the seven seas. We swept one morn around Cape Thorne while bound for Bullion Bay. With naught to reck, I strolled on deck, a baby at my breast, while flurries blew and seagulls flew within the ocean’s spray. Our ship soon moored, we went ashore and off to Fortune’s Quest - with gold doubloons which shone like moons, he gambled through the day. ‘The deuce is wild’ he thinly smiled; another card was drawn - he’d staked and raised with eyes half glazed, was dealt a dismal three. With betting tight throughout the night, the final ace long gone, meant all was lost, at what a cost; alas, the prize was me. To my dismay he slunk away and left me doomed at dawn. A buccaneer with ring in ear sneered ‘now, my dear, you’re mine’. He held my wrists to thwart my fists and then... my honor stained. On sullied swash, the sky awash with bitter tears of brine, I broke his clutch with nothing much of me that still remained: a residue when he was through, left clinging to a vine. In morning dew, the good folk knew, and spurned me in my plight. The preacher man pronounced a ban and wouldn’t condescend, ignored my pleas on bended knees and prayers by candlelight. While cast aside, my baby died... my world was at an end. Until this day, I’ve made my way beneath the shades of night. Continued in Part 3