The knight grew weary under his girdle of green<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When stealth birthed sorrow and craft brought shame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He could not compose a symphony within the sham of chivalry <\/p>\n\n\n\n
For humans are much too capricious to create consonance of contradictions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Foolish though he was to reach for rash rewards <\/p>\n\n\n\n
More shameful still is the sin of hesitation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He won courage by keeping his word to wander in winter,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet at the falling of the blade? He flinched, faint of heart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
His politeness to the Lady was pleasing and proper<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For beauty demands that he pretends passion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But true carnal pleasure makes a cuckold of the king, therefore<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fidelity to both Lord and Lady is quite frankly a farce<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kiss or be discourteous. Kiss and be killed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The knight warped green knows nobody can fulfill these impossible tasks of honor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Yet still Gawain must try <\/p>\n\n\n\n
To prove he is Arthur’s faithful soldier. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even if he proves valiance is a lie,<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Is that something Arthur’s court will ever choose to ponder?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Inspired by a certain fourteenth-century poem all about green knights.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n
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