Dreamland
By too lazy
Poem by Edgar Allen Poe
I don't own neither POTC nor Edgar Allen Poe's works and will never.
I read this poem made me think of Lizzie and Jack enough said.
Her appearance is haggard her eyes are dull and dark from lack of sleep.
Elizabeth Swann hates sleep; she hates her dreamland.
By
a route obscure and lonely,
Haunted
by ill angels only,
here an Eidolon, named NIGHT,
On a black throne reigns upright,
I have reached these lands but newly
from an ultimate dim Thule-
From a wild clime that lieth, sublime,
Out of SPACE- out of TIME.
When she can no longer fight off the rising blackness of sleep she consumes rum in order to dull her mind but in dreamland it does no good.
She dreams of a tiny island with a bright bonfire and rum, she sees herself dancing with Jack and then collapsing to the ground and hears the story of freedom. As he falls into the black oblivion of sleep from too much rum, a Black Mass with red eyes steals him from her while grisly little imps hold Elizabeth down as she tries to save him.
She wakes; oh yes, she hate her dreamland.
By the lakes that thus outspread
Their lone waters, lone and dead,-
Their
sad waters, sad and chilly
With the snows of the lolling lily,-
By
the mountains- near the river
Murmuring lowly, murmuring ever,-
By the grey woods,- by the swamp
Where the toad and the newt encamp-
By the dismal tarns and pools
Where dwell the Ghouls,-
She works constantly mindless of how tired her body is because she does not want to think about what she has done, or will do. She is dirty, smelly, no longer a lady of society. She takes orders from a captain she hates. She hates when the crew reminisces about Jack as she lies to William and to the crew of how Jack gave his life for them when in fact she was the one who killed him. She hates when she catches Will look upon her with sorrow, regret and pity. When Will looks at her like that she prefers the torment of her dreamland.
Elizabeth is standing next to her father and James Norrington at the gallows on the day Jack is being hung. She watches in horror as the noose is placed around Jack's neck. She faints hoping to provide distraction for Jack's rescue. When she sits up no one pays her any attention as Jack is dead hanging limply from the rope the Black Mass with the piercing red eyes holds the rope and William is standing watching with little interest as Jack swings in the faint breeze.
She wants to wake yet the Black Mass appears before her and drags her off to another nightmare.
This time the Black Mass forces her to watch as she tells Jack he is a good man and kisses him. Jack is tentative in his kiss compared to her and the Elizabeth watching can't help but wonder what did honor taste like to Jack? She would never know his answer because she killed him. When the click of the shackle breaks them apart she see herself wanting to kiss him again but does not because she does not want him to be right. She's a Pirate.
She sees herself leave Jack alone and sees him escape the shackle with the aid of lamp oil and she smiles. It is here that the Black Mass pushes Elizabeth down and picking up Jack feeds him to the Kraken. She screams his name and the Black Mass pulls her into the belly of the Kraken where she sees that Jack's bones are all that remain before she wakes up.
Oh dear God, she hates her dreamland.
By each spot the most unholy-
In each nook most melancholy-
There the traveller meets aghast
Sheeted Memories of the Past-
Shrouded forms that start and sigh
As they pass the wanderer by-
White-robed forms of friends long given,
In agony, to the Earth- and Heaven.
The next time she sleeps it is because she collapses on deck from pure exestuation. Although her dreamland is not the hell she knows but something else entirely.
Elizabeth is standing on the deck of the Black Pearl in all her former glory. The weather is fair and the sun is setting making the sky a bring orange and lavender. No one is around but when she looks to the wheel of the Pearl Jack is steering the ship with a smile on his suntanned face. He looks as he has never been eaten by the Kraken and he even has his hat on. Jack takes notice of Elizabeth and beckons her to join him which she does.
Before she can utter a syllable Jack spoke.
"You really need to stop torturing yourself love." He said offhandedly with a grin. Elizabeth feels his forgiveness is worse than anything he can say or do but she wants to be forgiven and that is all that matters right now.
"But, Jack I,"
"Did what you had to do, I can't expect more then that Lizzie." Jack says tiredly but her name is said with affection.
"Jack...I'm," He cuts her off again.
"Sorry I know love." He says nonchalant and continues to steer.
"No not that, I meant what I said on that day I don't regret it." Elizabeth said tartly and Jack turns to her his dark kohl lined eyes a bit wide in surprise but he smirks at her. Elizabeth feels her heart speed up.
"I want you to know that I'm going to find you." Her words are firm, full of conviction and true, she believes herself and Jack smiles again.
"I know that Lizzie it's why I'm not worried at all, 'cause I know you'll do what it takes," he lets the wheel go but the ship stays on her steady course, his arms encircle Elizabeth's slender waist and she leans into his embrace. "To get what you desire." Jack whispers in her ear causing a shiver to go down her spine. His lips then claim hers and this time Elizabeth loses herself with in the taste of rum and pineapple.
She then feels herself being pulled away by the Black Mass with red eyes it seems it is laughing at her. She struggles desperately and clings to Jack's coat but he calmly takes her hands in his and the Black Mass halts its pull on her.
"Love," Jack kisses her brow tenderly and Elizabeth can feel the sting of tears welling in her eyes. "I'll see you soon." With that he presses something in her hand and then she wakes to finder herself in a hammock and all alone.
Tears fall from her eyes and her breathing is labored, she can still taste the rum and pineapple on her lips. In her hand is Jack's sliver and green emerald ring. She finds it attached to a sting and places it around her neck. She takes his gift with a promise, to find Captain Jack Sparrow or die trying.
She still hates her dreamland, oh yes she does, but only she hates it now because she can never stay long enough.
By a route obscure and lonely,
Haunted by ill angels only,
Where an Eidolon, named NIGHT,
On a black throne reigns upright,
I have wandered home but newly
From this ultimate dim Thule.
End
