Mark Antony and Cleopatra

Dispatched by Mark Antony to fetch his queen An Egyptian with beauty of world renown Five-thousand mighty Roman warriors sailed Committed to driving Egypt’s army down Cleopatra was basking on a Nile barge While the fleet remained offshore waiting for night ‘Neath the cloak of darkness warriors arrived To surprise defenders and battle incite Fully armored Roman forces held the edge Razor-sharp swords pierced Egyptians’ tanned skin Into the gently flowing Nile, Egyptian blood spilled The desert soldiers’ garb was softer than tin When heat rose with dawn’s light on the pyramids Only a few hundred Egyptian soldiers remained But they fought with the courage of a thousand more Determined to protect Cleopatra’s reign Defenders fought with valor; none sought mercy Just as victory seemed within Rome’s grasp A bloody trail to the palace had been carved But Cleopatra lay dead, bitten by an asp Noble Antony awaited his army Rejoicing when the first ship came into view But they’d waged their fiercest fight futilely Now they mustered to strength to tell Antony too Warriors’ hearts were filled with compassion The sign of a truly devoted band As they offered support for their ruler’s loss Antony felt the power of each and every man *But for the fact that Antony and Cleopatra were lovers, this poem is entirely fictional. Antony and Cleopatra actually wed and Antony moved to Egypt. Entry for the “Roman Legion” contest