Green
/Following the first and second parts of the epic poem in earlier issues Open Letters is proud to present the third installment of Adam Golaski’s Green. —The Editors
{ th’first Words that He spoke }
On the other hand, he had no helmet nor armor either,
Nor gorget nor braces rere or vam,
+ he held no staff nor shield w/ which t’smite or t’show
No
he held in’is hand a bob’v holly,
Holly that is greatest green when groves are winter bare, +
He held in’is other hand, an axe
an axe abnormal’nd cruel
an axe too unreal to
explain to you but by repeating: “an axe, an axe.”
All’v’n ell its large head had, +
hewn was its spike w/ green steel’nd w/ gold,
a broad-edged blade burnished bright, +
well shaped t’shear as sharp as razors;
By th’steel’v’a stiff staff the axe was gripped,
+ iron was wound from end t’tip,
+ all engraved in green were gracious work;
A lace wrapped about that locked at th’head,
+ so after wrapped th’handle, frequently fastened
t’th’haft, w/’a thick’v fine tassels thereto attached
by buttons bright’nd green’nd graciously work’d.
This knight rode right
in——
Directly to the high dias,
was fearless——
He hailed no one there, but glared, he
he glared over all assembled.
Th’first words warped by his mouth were: “Where is
the governor of thee gathered? Gladly, I would
sue that man, + see, + w/ his self speak
reason.”
To th’knights he cast his eye,
+ riding rode them up + down;
He stopped so he could study
who might’ve had th’most renown.
His words they lingered, + as a ghost were seen:
th’words he spoke, a mist’v luminous green.
____Adam Golaski is the author of the story collection Worse Than Myself (Raw Dog Screaming Press, 2008) and of Color Plates (Rose Metal Press, 2009). Adam co-edited A Sing Economy, the latest anthology from Flim Forum Press, and he is the editor of New Genre, a journal that promotes craftsmanship and innovation in horror and science fiction. He teaches literature and writing at the University of Connecticut.
