The Hounds of Banevekarous

 
They hunt the weary and naïve, with eyes that burn with vitriol
They salivate upon the leaf litter as they race the oldest paths

Expansive forest of the mind, welcome the wandering wonderers
If wits aren’t quick the hounds will strike and all will be afraid

I’ve laughed in joy and climbed the trees, weary of their teeth
To ten of them they stretch their number, clawing in their haste

Beware the Hounds of Banevekarous, they hunt the traveller down
Beware the Hounds of Banevekarous, suddenly they strike!
Beware the Hounds of Banevekarous , they shun the sound of laughter
Beware the Hounds of Banevekarous, they can hastily muster a murderous ten

The hunt was slow to start with, the traveller wondered and wandered in glee
The forest forgot his passage and probably so did he
He laughed amongst the ferns and gazed up at the boughs
All the time his mind raced as the beautiful fronds unfurled

He lived a life in branches and several in fallen trunks
He climbed the tallest tree and flew amongst the leaves
He lost himself in variegation and probably fungus too
To march as an ant amongst the ranks, well that was all there was to do!

However…

The hounds they caught the scent, of a wondering mind in Banevekarous
They pawed each other’s back and mauled the nearest tree in glee

The forest it submitted and opened up in front
The fastest hound he saw the way, howled and mustered up a great jump

Bounding amongst the dried leaves the pack began to chase
Before the wonderer had realised, they were closing in in haste

Still he stared on, lost in wonder at all the beauty
Until he glimpsed himself, by the riverside

It jolted his mind in fear
Sensing something was near

Scrabbling up the banks, suddenly afraid of all the fish
He scaled and took of quick, running as fast as he could

But closing in all the while, the Hounds of Banevekarous bayed his name so wild!

And as they closed in, terror it did tighten upon the man’s legs, he felt his heart surrender as his knees slid amongst the mosses

Too late for fate to change now

The hounds rounded the corner, barking death through salivarous teeth, they pounced upon the victim, biting in so deep

Through chomps laced with gore the man screamed and squirmed in pain, but all too late for the Hounds of Banevekarous had already bayed his name

The Hounds of Banevekarous they never are the same
The Hounds of Banevekarous they are the most inane

Gently step their feet within the forest of dreams
Watch your gaze indefinitely, less you tell them your name…