This poem was inspired by "the Hobbit", first book by J. R. R. Tolkien that I read. You might recognize an event or two, as advertised by the bard... :D
Disclaimer: none of what you recognize belongs to me.
- The Bard -
Spin the dagger, roll the dice!
Such a chance won't happen twice.
For a shelter from the cold,
I will tell you tales untold.
.
For the brave ones in the crowd,
I will sing of heroes proud,
Of the blades' unearthly call
And great kingdoms' rise and fall.
.
For the ladies sweet and fair,
I know tales beyond compare:
Of young love thwarted by knaves,
Strong and fierce until the grave.
.
For a bed and for a meal,
Mysteries I can reveal;
Gather round, both young and old,
Hear a story worth your gold.
.
Through my travels I have seen
Wonders wilder than your dreams:
Dragons fierce by archers killed
And their lairs with treasures filled.
.
Dwarves that built their spacious halls
Behind mountains' granite walls,
Guarded by a magic door
To protect their fathers' lore.
.
Those are sights for blessed eyes;
Yet elsewhere true magic lies:
Beyond borders of the land,
Far from home of dwarf and man.
.
I sought an ancient domain
Where the shadows long since reign.
Straying far from human roads,
Deep into the woods I rode,
.
And, beneath the silver light
Of a quiet summer night,
Hidden by the trees themselves,
I have found the path of elves.
.
I have watched, my heart entranced,
How they sung and how they danced
Until the first rays of dawn
Found me cold and all alone.
.
Gather round beside the fire!
Listen all your heart's desire.
I will sing 'til dawn is nigh,
'Til my throat is parched and dry.
.
Gather round, join those who fell,
For a night, under my spell.
Peasant, noble, thief or guard,
Buy a story from the bard!