A poem about elves

[Boldek]

Hello everyone!

A few weeks ago, I was inspired by the poem 'The Breaking of the Pact' to write a poem about the elves. At first, I wrote the hero down as Kalenz, but then after examining the timeline, I realized that Kalenz appeared after Haldric the First had died. So, I just changed the hero's name to Belian, the hero from "The Breaking of the Pact".

Spoiler:

The elf-keeps are smoking, the orc bands are raiding,
Oh Wesnoth, your soldiers: they’re idle and waiting,
Give ear! Give ear! Come swift to our aid,
For Lintanir and Wesmere are dark and afraid.

The beacons are burning, our riders have called,
Our scouts you are spurning; you remain in your halls,
The orcs, they are killing and cutting and felling,
Elf children are dying, while your general stalls.

Our soldiers are failing, our arrows are spent,
Our spears they have shattered, our armor is rent,
Our heroes have fallen, our captains have fled,
The green of the Kalian is burnt black and stained red.

Our homes they are torching, the tree-folk are dying,
Our soldiers are weeping, our children are crying,
The orc-hosts are chanting, and cheering and jeering,
They know now your horsemen won’t north come a-riding.


Our soldiers are fighting, and falling and fleeing,
Your swordsmen are missing, your spears we aren’t seeing,
Oh Haldric! Oh Haldric! Your men we are needing,
Your treaties and oaths, they are empty and bleeding.

Belian is marching, his battle song singing,
He’s routing the orcs, his bright sword is swinging,
The orcs they are quarrelling, and cursing and trembling,
They fear his bright eyes, and the troops he is bringing.

Our battle is won, the foemen are scattered,
Their chieftains are vanquished, their armies are shattered,
Our woods have been emptied, but the orcs are no more,
And all without Wesnoth, who did not march to war.

Oh Haldric, your treaties proved fragile as glass,
Your words soon forgotten like wind on the grass,
Therefore no elf bows will sing at your wars,
Nor swords will we send, when orcs lay siege to your doors.

What do you think folks?

[alluton]

Very nice. "The beacons are burning, our riders have called," Reminds me of LoTR abit.

[Piko555]

Wow. You're good, folk.

[Boldek]

Wow. You're good, folk.

Thanks!

Very nice. "The beacons are burning, our riders have called," Reminds me of LoTR abit.

Yeah, at first I was a little unsure about adding that line in, since I'm not sure if elves would burn beacons, since they love trees and stuff, but I thought it sounded cool and sorta remniscent of LoTR, so I kept it in.

[Elfarion]

Amazing work! It reminds me of the poems in LotR. I can perfectly picture a tavern full of people who demand to hear the tale of Haldric's betrayal from a bard.

Just a little note: To me the last line seems a bit long. It kind of breaks the rhythm.

[Boldek]

Yeah, that last bit does stretch the meter a bit. How about this:

"Oh Haldric, your treaties proved fragile as glass,
Your words soon forgotten like wind on the grass,
Therefore no elf bows will sing at your wars,
Nor swords will we send, when siege comes to your doors."

That version cuts away one syllable, but I'm not sure... Does it sound better? Catchier?

[Elfarion]

To me it does sound better.

[revansurik]

Really nice poem, congrats!