The Lay of Mount Petite Jean

Canto XVII: The War.

Read in Landscape

Raging the captain now readied his men
Out from the vessel his scouts he did send.
Searching the woods in the hopes he would find
Place where his sailors were taken in binds.
Gathering forces and readying arms
Searching for foes and intending them harm.

Many a week had now passed since the raid
Little a word of his friend had been gave.
Restless his pacing and weary his heart
Hoping for day that the rescue would start.
Finally, men did approach with some news
Telling them all of the men they had slew.

Speaking how Jean had yet saved them from harm
Fighting the foes who had raised the alarm.
Gathering men to his quarters he took
Asking the sailors for knowledge he sook.
Wanting to know what's the state of his friend
Long who had helped him his sickness to mend.

Quickly they told him of all they had saw
Straining so all of their story's recalled.
Telling the prince what's the lay of the land
Helping the noble develop a plan.
Soon he was ready to storm to that place
Readying men did the noble now race.

Gathering sailors and gathering guns
Quickly through depths of the forest they run.
Hasty but silent through the paths they do creep
Searching for sign of the village they seek
Daring not breath or to ponder their cause
Daring not rest or to even yet pause

Knowing that briefest of moments do count
Running with fear in the greatest amounts.
Fearing that chieftain will Jean now yet hate
Casting him down to a gruesomest fate.
Setting the man as a warning to all
For heeding not judgements and obeying not calls

Born by the chieftain whose will was yet law
Over the heads of the tribesman and all
Set in that village where warriors do hide
Deep in the forest where Osage abide.
Headed the sailor to place they escaped
Hoping that war on the foes they would make.

Cannons where towed and their guns had been packed
None of their war-making tools did they lack.
Deeper and deeper the footfalls did strike
Timed with their heart whose own beating had spiked.
Winding the paths with a fury they walk
Silent and dread not one daring to talk.

Further in woods was the dwelling now found
Place where the friend of the captain was bound.
Gathering sailors the noble now went
Down to the place that the prisoners had sent
Ready for battle and ready for wrack
Ready that dwellings of Osage he'll sack.

Seeing him coming an alarm was then raised
Ready the warriors of village were made.
Standing they all did now face to the foe
Ready to bring on those fellows a woe.
Horn was then sounded and war was then made.
Standards of battle in air had been raised.

Great do the warriors now fighting yet vie
Wielding their swords so their foes will soon die.
Brave were the Osage who fought with their strength
Striving with sailors at greatest of lengths.
Still though no spear or a sling can yet match
Cannons and guns that the captain dispatched

Least not in open where braves they could spy
Fearsome with painting and valiant cries.
Still were the tides yet against them from start
Though they were fighting with fiercest of heart.
Slowly the ground to invaders they lose
Bodies of braves by their fire was bruised.

Quickly they're driven with the greatest of haste
Back from their foes they now fled from the waste.
Fearing that end had now found them and brought
Sailors to village as friend they now sought.
Knowing not way that they'll hinder the path
Blazed by the sailors in greatest of wrath.

Out from their midst then did Jean now appear
Standing with courage and showing no fear.
Knowing that wrath was not fate that was set
Setting herself so that peace she abets.
Over to chieftain in heat of the war
Maiden through bullets and ricochets tore.