The Lay of Mount Petite Jean

Canto XIV: The Onset of Illness.

Read in Landscape

Now saved from fate they all to sea do go
On back they take the ship as men's abode.
To sale to land as first they ever planed
Before the lot on island sought to stand.

But things were harder after wretched trip
When men in search of sin had left the ship,
And journeyed down to place it's easy made
That often smelled and looked like rotten grave.

For boat was hurt by pirates' nightly raid
When foes had thought that ship they'd easy claim
Along with leg the captain ginger nursed
That hurt as though the wound were seeming cursed.

And Diable hated pair now more than 'fore
Now deep in heart he putrid anger bore,
And often man did lead the rest and bid
To seldom ever effort truly give,

Or help beyond the bounds of things they owed
So work across the ship was greatly slowed.
And most of crew did harken quick to words
That fiend had spoke in hopes their hearts were spurred

To leave aside the task that men do owe
To prince who paid the men with royal gold
In hopes that all would labor hard on trip,
And work to keep this mighty sailing ship

From falling down to current state it held
Its damage making sight of vessel fell.
And captain knew the man who caused this state
The one who joined his crew by illest fate.

No longer prince the leisure present bore
To let the man ignore his many chores.
And prince did know he island venture wrought
How great misfortune man had surely brought

On ship for length of voyage crew had took
By words he spoke so many men forsook
The debt they owed aboard this sailing craft
To keep afloat this mighty galleon raft.

So noble sought a path confronting man
To speak his mind to Diable's current plan.
Then low the noble saw him lounging 'bout,
And quickly royal captain loudly shouts.

With angry gait he fast approaches foe
To warn the men who current claims abode
Onboard his ship that slaking's seldom brought
The leisure all aboard had hasty sought.

"I do bid you to labor on ship as your captain and lord
For your willful and foolish and give me distress.
You have wrought on this voyage a grief and a greatest discord,

And you've seldom if ever have worked and performed to your best.
So now choose to be fair in your cause and to give me what's just
For my graciousness work so that favor in prince you'll invest,

And don't heed to your hunger or debase us with grievous lust
For you'll either now work or be stranded on island at sea.
So do labor and strive to yet earn from your captain his trust

For his will and his mercy you"ll quickly and surely yet need."

And hearing words he spoke he nodded head
Though man's not full of any deathly dread.
He quick does play the card he's hidden kept
In hopes that secret knowledge plan abets.

"Many folk would give to sin
Sure when facing broken vows
Few is captain 'mongst all men
Few at ground to woman bow.

Long your love did leave you 'lone
Gone from port when parting came
Far from prince and far from home
Lost is girl that captain claimed.

Fear not maid is surely fine
Merely set on diff'rent course.
Yielding neither self or time
Seeing love not 'fore the force

Brought by oceans' mighty waves
Caring none if man is dead
Laid in water deep as grave
Down where man's to serpents fed.

Fear not nother love she'll find
Shortly after man be left
Sure she'll free herself of bind
Never feeling much bereft."

Now hearing him speak the captain is greatly enraged
Inflamed by war of words his crewman waged,
And standing tall he turns about to face
The man as beating heart now pounding raced.

"You will bite on your tongue or hasty you'll lose it to blade
For you know not of maiden or words you have spoken in haste.
I would ask you to think on your meaning when speeches are made

For the death of a crewman on journey is greatest of waste."

Then throwing hand in air the rebel left
Though planting seed of doubt with skill so deft.
For though the prince had open spurned his words
Now deep inside their echoes quite stirred.

They rob from noble peace of mind he held
When 'cross the ocean waves the prince had delved
For thoughts he spoke already wracked his mind,
And little comfort prince can ever find.

Now closely maid did watch in coming days
Of all the trouble doubt of man had made.
Around his eyes did rings begin to form
As sleep from love again was surely torn.

Then leg the man had hurt now greater ached
Like strange beset by great unyielding hate,
And fever seem to grow as cheeks were red
He often coughed and red from lungs now bled.

So quick the ailment sat with eerie speed
On head of man like made by witching deed,
And day did come when captain barely stands
On deck not knowing course to charter plan.

Then strange and wicked force did fill the air,
And evil thing the will of men did dare.
As wind with eldritch start began to blow
So quick and strange from whence they never know.

And off to port a group of clouds did form
That quickly takes the shape of howling storm.
Then sudden crash was heard as captain fell
From helm of ship where often man did dwell.

And rushing quick the maid was down by side
Of man who down on deck of ship now lied.
With sudden onset all his health was claimed
By outside force the maiden knew was strange.

But greater still the winds now whipped and howled
Like hungry wolf that deep in forest prowls.
For nature bore not rage on winds that night
Yet other force did lend that tempest might.

But serf though knowing strange the storm that blew
Had other fears that deep inside her grew.
And lifting man she took him down to deck
On deep to place in which the captain slept.

And maiden going down did greatly grieve
As both the ship and captain laid besieged..."

Ending her song the maiden now sat
Hoping her efforts his healing abet.
Rising she dirtied her face with some dust
Hiding her visage with dirt and some rust.
Knowing not way to awaken her lord
Watching and waiting on God's own accord.

Tale of their love had been sung by the maid
Told to the prince who on deathbed was laid.
Setting the servant now waits for a sign
Hopping some semblance of healing she'll find
Present in body of man who was laid
Down on his bead and so close to his grave...

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Please vote and comment!!! Seems like Jean has finished the flashback what do you guys think?