Pentangles by Hannah Lewis

The knight grew weary under his girdle of green

When stealth birthed sorrow and craft brought shame.

He could not compose a symphony within the sham of chivalry 

For humans are much too capricious to create consonance of contradictions.

Foolish though he was to reach for rash rewards 

More shameful still is the sin of hesitation.

He won courage by keeping his word to wander in winter,

Yet at the falling of the blade? He flinched, faint of heart. 

His politeness to the Lady was pleasing and proper

For beauty demands that he pretends passion.

But true carnal pleasure makes a cuckold of the king, therefore

Fidelity to both Lord and Lady is quite frankly a farce

Kiss or be discourteous. Kiss and be killed.

The knight warped green knows nobody can fulfill these impossible tasks of honor.

Yet still Gawain must try 

To prove he is Arthur’s faithful soldier. 

Even if he proves valiance is a lie,

Is that something Arthur’s court will ever choose to ponder?

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Inspired by a certain fourteenth-century poem all about green knights.

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