Poetry: Anytime, Anyplace, About Anything – Arthur’s Side of the Story
By, Donna M. Monnig
Today’s NaPoWriMo prompt was to write a persona poem. This may not be exactly what they meant but it’s similar.
Arthur’s Side of the Story
“They got it wrong.”
What did they get
wrong dear?
“Everything Genevieve.”
Like what Arthur?
“Well, first of all, I
wasn’t born a king.”
But you did become
one, and I your queen.
“That’s about all
that they got right.”
What else did they
get wrong my
beloved knight?
“I never pulled a sword
from out of a stone.
And doing so wouldn’t
have made me eligible
for the throne.” But you
did take the sword from
an enemy’s hands.
“Yes, but only to defend
my family’s lands.”
And your neighbor’s
lands; you stopped them
from being manhandled
like cattle.
“Yes, instead I led them
to a slaughter in battle.”
It is better to die on one’s
feet as to live on one’s knees.
“Where’d you hear that?”
Merlin said that a great man
of the future will live by
such a decree.
“That’s another thing they
got wrong.”
What’s that? “Merlin. He’s
no old man, that had lived
impossibly long.
He was no wizard, he was
simply an alchemist, a
magician like no other.
And how could they not
know that Merlin was
my brother?”
It’s just a story Arthur.
“But it’s about me, and
They Got It All Wrong.”
I’m sure that it will fade,
your story won’t be
remembered for long.
©Donna M. Monnig
NaPoWriMo prompt: Day 14
About Donna M. Monnig
Donna M. Monnig is a published poet, aspiring novelist, freelance writer, a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, and is a cowgirl at heart.
Rhyme N Review 
I enjoyed it! Is this based on anything, like a theory that Merlin is an alchemist and also Arthur’s brother? Because I haven’t heard that one before… and there haven been plenty of “this was the real, non-magical Arthur” stories made! (Like that movie with Clive Owen.)
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Thank You! I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Actually this is my own version of Arthur and Merlin. I figure that everyone else can make up their own versions of the story, so why not me too?
Thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts!
God Bless,
Donna
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I’ll bet your version would be better than all those others. You should write a book, Donna! 😉
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I’m starting to see a pattern. A lot of your advice to me seems to revolve around a specific theme: write a book.
I appreciate your confidence in my abilities!
(By the way, I think you should take your own advice. Then we can both write a book!)
Thanks & God Bless,
Donna
P.S. The new Lewis and Kelton. (You know what I mean.)
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