The thunder growls with the offer of temptation to

the old enchanteress Witch of Searesbyrig and the flash of

lightning seals the loaded deal as yet another limp weary

traveller, half drowned by the talasmatic Nadder, dogged by Time,

fully disciplined and near dead from his direct action and exhaustive days

flight and fight against a foe of fury unseen,

seeks his way, seeking shelter from the strange energies

that such a storm springs up from Satan’s well.

 

Such words of welcome to the weary and wilting man

The Witch of Searesbyrig made, he thought sincere and straight

and rested his sword and the rotting images he bore relentlessly and with bitter resentment

for his fragile life had been forfeit since leaving the failed quest,

and his King, wise and wisdom flowed, would wield him out as wilful

to the countless others in the court of the Kingdom’s heart, conceited and over-confident

he would not be pitied, so pious a man, so pompous and vain, a prick by any other name,

Gawain knew a bigger test than battling the Green Man awaited, greed and gaiety would not his.

 

Pious he may be but for this drowned knight, battle weary and bemused

by his steep fall from grace, The Witch of Searesbyrig, seemed alluring, features transformed

and no longer the hidden warts of blackness to be seen, obscured and altered

by means of magic, she molested him as he thought he made love to her

and the deal lay down by damaged and devilish heart

in which a man of sincerity would bring forth issue, the sincere and the unloved

meeting to make a mix that Grendel would be scared to mention

and utter the resulting consuming terror to come, Gawain’s life forever crushed completely.

 

With the storm having expired, if ever it was truly there

the Knight bids farewell to what he see in his haste is honour and beauty

but once his titled back is turned, transforms back to the unseen Witch.

Gawain’s delicate diversion from the divine is nothing more than a distraction

to his remarkable story and one that will not be remembered or recalled by regal history

but in the belly of The Witch of Searesbyrig, a beast nestles with brooding disease

and seething hatred, he will destroy Gawain, suck him dry and spit fire his way,

the jilted Witch of Searesbyrig will see to that and the laughter winds its way up wind.

 

Ian D. Hall 2015