deepundergroundpoetry.com
Remembering Ys
- Remembering Ys -
Based on some of my past-life memories…
When I do close my eyes, oft in visions wrapped,
I drift back in my memories, unto long past times.
Therein, secrets are unlocked that were well kept,
By my soul and spirit, which drift to higher climes.
I canst feel the sun upon my face as once it caressed,
My face in different flesh, amidst the sound of surf…
And I canst see clearly how back then I was dressed,
When I walked along the shore and the ancient turf.
Across the waters of the bay, there I didst soon spy,
The many towers of the grand city wither I hastened.
The clouds were white as pearl, upon the azure sky,
As the waves crashed, their own beauty not lessened.
Never diminished by the beauty of my surroundings!
Past gates inlaid with silver, and frescos and murals,
Columns of marble, and silver spires glimmering…
I walked slowly, beholding sights fit for the angels.
But mortals dwelt there, as didst elves some swore,
And other fair folk, drawn by the glories of old Ys!
For that was the city’s name, near that grand shore,
A habitation fit for gods, a place of glory and ease:
For they who called that place home, in that age…
Though doomed it was, like Atlantis was before it.
For the gods canst be cruel when filled with rage!
Lost wouldst be the songbirds that there didst flit…
Amongst walled gardens full of countless flowers,
Where oft girls played, floral garlands about them.
For innocents know not of malicious evil powers!
If they knew, they wouldst those things condemn.
I oft thought about the irony of the secrets I knew:
How the same power that sustained Ys so pristine,
Was becoming dark and demonic, soon to undo…
All the beauty that it had wrought, all I had seen.
Those beautiful people, proud lovely ladies fair…
And handsome men of near fey-like countenance,
In: their flowing garments like silk to so compare:
They wouldst all come to, in watery deeps dance.
But all I saw of Ys was but what eyes doth behold!
It had a side beyond the ken of mortals to fathom.
Even I who was mortal only in body, as foretold…
Only couldst see so much, of that grand kingdom.
I had come there, seeking a portion of my spirit…
Which in ancient times, when I had been an angel,
Was stolen from me by the gods that didst so sit:
In judgment over me when they made me mortal!
I came in armor of scarlet and crimson, elfin made.
Wither I had come, I cared not once in that place,
Where it seemed time stood still, distant the shade:
For it was a place of such light, purer than is lace!
The goddess-queen who had been Ys’s princess…
She and I had struck a bargain to help me connect,
With that lost part of my divine spark, unblessed.
Then, we believed all wouldst be made as perfect!
For the gods had hidden it within the city’s core…
Encased in blackest jewel-like substance uncanny.
Enshrined by those who used its’ power therefore:
Until the greed of mortal weakness, and jealousy,
Of the gods, made it corrupt and thus so flawed…
Requiring the goddess-queen Dahut to this release.
Each moment, that facet of me shrieked, clawed…
Begging Dahut to grant it some measure of peace:
To set free the spirit contained within that casing,
Of darkest pearl held by a pedestal of fair silver…
That source of Ys’s dark curse and light blessing!
The doom of that place, was sealed by the giver,
Of part of my spirit’s liberation from servitude…
For, when Ys’s end came as was so in prophecy:
The watery flood, knew naught of any gratitude.
And it was Dahut who held death’s silvery key!
The ancients should never hath used my spark…
To power their dreams: at the expense, of truth.
They, should have, to the old prophecy harked…
So that, in the end, the gods wouldst be moved,
To some measure of pity for those who drowned.
The sea reclaimed its’ own, for from it Ys rose…
And, there Ys sank, its’ spires seaweed crowned.
I was amongst those who witnessed the last throes,
Of: the glorious city’s demise which came swift.
I saw those who tried to end the very life of she,
That very goddess-queen whose love didst lift…
The curse that was upon Ys, rotting it for eternity!
But no mortal hand could plunge her into waters,
Which she was not intended for, by divine decree.
She was of the same nobility as angelic daughters,
Her blood that of the gods, and of brighter dignity.
I witnessed Dahut change and ascend to Heaven,
Her divine form made manifest, from her deed…
Of helping me to unite what of me, was severed.
But in doing so her soul’s light was thusly freed!
She had been neither good nor evil, but rather…
Something better, that no human couldst so rend,
From this world, for she was from one far better!
Was this a reward or a punishment for Ys’s end?
Perhaps both, for in being saved from drowning,
She was taken, from I who had loved her truly…
And in that moment, of her heavenly crowning:
I wept for our fates and the price of her divinity.
When the survivors of the city’s fell damnation,
Spoke of Ys they oft wondered if they dreamed.
Was it ever real: they wept, seeking salvation…
In convincing themselves it was not as seemed.
But I remembered Ys, not willing to let it depart!
I knew it had not been a dream, but just a face,
Of two realities, created not wholly of mortal art.
Part of it remained unseen by any mortals: base...
They the gods deemed unworthy to see beyond.
Dahut and I understood what this truly meant,
Which is why we realized what had to be done.
And I knew that wherever it was Dahut went…
She had taken with her, something of Ys itself,
The uncorrupted part of that place which lent…
Unto every gleaming stone bereft of its’ wealth:
Set apart from human corruption or water’s ire.
One day, oh my love, we will meet once again!
Our spirits whole at last, so not water nor fire,
Canst shatter what our glory may nobly defend.
Ys lives on in thee and I, more gloriously built,
Than when mortals crafted its’ old earthly shell.
Our Ys is free from corruption or human guilt,
And still I hear the song of its’ fair temple bells!
Let us sing with them, and teach others of love,
So that what we create upon this world afresh…
Will match the beauty of its’ counterpart above!
So my eyes open, and I leave Dahut to her rest.
Based on some of my past-life memories…
When I do close my eyes, oft in visions wrapped,
I drift back in my memories, unto long past times.
Therein, secrets are unlocked that were well kept,
By my soul and spirit, which drift to higher climes.
I canst feel the sun upon my face as once it caressed,
My face in different flesh, amidst the sound of surf…
And I canst see clearly how back then I was dressed,
When I walked along the shore and the ancient turf.
Across the waters of the bay, there I didst soon spy,
The many towers of the grand city wither I hastened.
The clouds were white as pearl, upon the azure sky,
As the waves crashed, their own beauty not lessened.
Never diminished by the beauty of my surroundings!
Past gates inlaid with silver, and frescos and murals,
Columns of marble, and silver spires glimmering…
I walked slowly, beholding sights fit for the angels.
But mortals dwelt there, as didst elves some swore,
And other fair folk, drawn by the glories of old Ys!
For that was the city’s name, near that grand shore,
A habitation fit for gods, a place of glory and ease:
For they who called that place home, in that age…
Though doomed it was, like Atlantis was before it.
For the gods canst be cruel when filled with rage!
Lost wouldst be the songbirds that there didst flit…
Amongst walled gardens full of countless flowers,
Where oft girls played, floral garlands about them.
For innocents know not of malicious evil powers!
If they knew, they wouldst those things condemn.
I oft thought about the irony of the secrets I knew:
How the same power that sustained Ys so pristine,
Was becoming dark and demonic, soon to undo…
All the beauty that it had wrought, all I had seen.
Those beautiful people, proud lovely ladies fair…
And handsome men of near fey-like countenance,
In: their flowing garments like silk to so compare:
They wouldst all come to, in watery deeps dance.
But all I saw of Ys was but what eyes doth behold!
It had a side beyond the ken of mortals to fathom.
Even I who was mortal only in body, as foretold…
Only couldst see so much, of that grand kingdom.
I had come there, seeking a portion of my spirit…
Which in ancient times, when I had been an angel,
Was stolen from me by the gods that didst so sit:
In judgment over me when they made me mortal!
I came in armor of scarlet and crimson, elfin made.
Wither I had come, I cared not once in that place,
Where it seemed time stood still, distant the shade:
For it was a place of such light, purer than is lace!
The goddess-queen who had been Ys’s princess…
She and I had struck a bargain to help me connect,
With that lost part of my divine spark, unblessed.
Then, we believed all wouldst be made as perfect!
For the gods had hidden it within the city’s core…
Encased in blackest jewel-like substance uncanny.
Enshrined by those who used its’ power therefore:
Until the greed of mortal weakness, and jealousy,
Of the gods, made it corrupt and thus so flawed…
Requiring the goddess-queen Dahut to this release.
Each moment, that facet of me shrieked, clawed…
Begging Dahut to grant it some measure of peace:
To set free the spirit contained within that casing,
Of darkest pearl held by a pedestal of fair silver…
That source of Ys’s dark curse and light blessing!
The doom of that place, was sealed by the giver,
Of part of my spirit’s liberation from servitude…
For, when Ys’s end came as was so in prophecy:
The watery flood, knew naught of any gratitude.
And it was Dahut who held death’s silvery key!
The ancients should never hath used my spark…
To power their dreams: at the expense, of truth.
They, should have, to the old prophecy harked…
So that, in the end, the gods wouldst be moved,
To some measure of pity for those who drowned.
The sea reclaimed its’ own, for from it Ys rose…
And, there Ys sank, its’ spires seaweed crowned.
I was amongst those who witnessed the last throes,
Of: the glorious city’s demise which came swift.
I saw those who tried to end the very life of she,
That very goddess-queen whose love didst lift…
The curse that was upon Ys, rotting it for eternity!
But no mortal hand could plunge her into waters,
Which she was not intended for, by divine decree.
She was of the same nobility as angelic daughters,
Her blood that of the gods, and of brighter dignity.
I witnessed Dahut change and ascend to Heaven,
Her divine form made manifest, from her deed…
Of helping me to unite what of me, was severed.
But in doing so her soul’s light was thusly freed!
She had been neither good nor evil, but rather…
Something better, that no human couldst so rend,
From this world, for she was from one far better!
Was this a reward or a punishment for Ys’s end?
Perhaps both, for in being saved from drowning,
She was taken, from I who had loved her truly…
And in that moment, of her heavenly crowning:
I wept for our fates and the price of her divinity.
When the survivors of the city’s fell damnation,
Spoke of Ys they oft wondered if they dreamed.
Was it ever real: they wept, seeking salvation…
In convincing themselves it was not as seemed.
But I remembered Ys, not willing to let it depart!
I knew it had not been a dream, but just a face,
Of two realities, created not wholly of mortal art.
Part of it remained unseen by any mortals: base...
They the gods deemed unworthy to see beyond.
Dahut and I understood what this truly meant,
Which is why we realized what had to be done.
And I knew that wherever it was Dahut went…
She had taken with her, something of Ys itself,
The uncorrupted part of that place which lent…
Unto every gleaming stone bereft of its’ wealth:
Set apart from human corruption or water’s ire.
One day, oh my love, we will meet once again!
Our spirits whole at last, so not water nor fire,
Canst shatter what our glory may nobly defend.
Ys lives on in thee and I, more gloriously built,
Than when mortals crafted its’ old earthly shell.
Our Ys is free from corruption or human guilt,
And still I hear the song of its’ fair temple bells!
Let us sing with them, and teach others of love,
So that what we create upon this world afresh…
Will match the beauty of its’ counterpart above!
So my eyes open, and I leave Dahut to her rest.
Published 19th Nov 2014
All writing remains the property of the author. Don't use it for any purpose without their permission.
likes 2
reading list entries 0
comments 2
reads 831
Commenting Preference:
The author encourages honest critique.
21st Nov 2014 3:31am
To write such an epic in prose is a serious undertaking. You have my admiration. Your work would make Chaucer proud.
21st Nov 2014 3:39am
I am deeply honored by such praise, Snugglebuck! This poem was a good companion piece to my other Ys epic "The Princess and the Pearl" which tells more details of the events that this poem speaks of. These two poems together tell the entirety of the events that led to the downfall of Ys, and the other poem also tells a bit about the beginnings of Ys, the rise and fall of its' greatest king, the birth of Dahut, and other things as well. If you enjoyed this one, you'll surely like that one too. I certainly do appreciate the comparison to a legend such as Chaucer! Again, I am very deeply honored. :)
