Circles of Seven (37 page)
“A dream?” Billy almost laughed in spite of himself. “Were there any penguins in it?”
“As a matter of fact, there was a penguin, a friendly chap who gave me an umbrella. I was appreciative, because I was walking through a dreadful storm at the time. He told me to sing, and sing well, or he would take the umbrella back.”
Billy knew the story was supposed to be funny, but he could only nod. He had a strange feeling this song was going to shake him to the core.
The professor stood, warming his hands over the fire. “It has no title, as far as I know, but it conforms to Merlin’s distinctive pattern. Here goes.” He lifted his gaze toward the star-filled sky.
When dragons flew in days of old
With flashing scales and flame,
They soared in scarlet droves of fear
With hearts no man could tame.
The Watchers sang a siren’s chant,
Seducing tickled ears,
Ensnaring girls with heads laid bare
And dragons far and near.
While most fell prey to Satan’s song,
A few held fast their birth
And worshiped God’s created realm,
Religion of the earth.
Content to suffer wrapped in chains,
A dragon leaves the skies.
Content to bleed for souls unknown,
A dragon bows and dies.
But can such faith repel the wrath
When evil is reborn?
Can sacrifice alone endure
When scaly hearts are torn?
A warrior comes with sword and shield,
With truth and faith in hand,
Exposing lies and cutting through
The darkness in the land.
Has eye not seen, has ear not heard,
The love that sets men free?
From scales to flesh he softens hearts;
From red to white he bleeds.
And when the warrior rests his blade,
With virgin bride he kneels.
The dragons fade from scales to dust
And bless the golden seal.
The professor straightened his trench coat and sat down. “I think that should be a welcome song, William. I find the words quite optimistic.”
“Yeah,” Walter agreed. “It’s almost like a promise. Except for that bleeding part, it sounded pretty good.”
Bonnie hooked her arm in Billy’s and pulled him close. “It
is
a promise, Billy, and we’ll figure it all out together.”
Billy gazed into Bonnie’s eyes. They glistened like the stars in the sky. Her love and sincerity poured forth like a refreshing fountain. He smiled and cocked his head toward the professor. “Hey Prof. What happened next in the dream?”
The professor sat back down. “Strangely enough, before I could finish, the penguin yanked the umbrella from my hand, smacked me on the head with it, and walked away.”
Walter laughed out loud. “I guess the penguin doesn’t understand your
Prof
-etic songs either.”
A shower of marshmallows and loud “Boos!” rained on Walter’s head. “Okay, okay!” he said, catching one of the marshmallows. “I know when I’m not appreciated.” He popped the marshmallow into his mouth, then stuffed his hands into his pockets. His face suddenly brightened. “Oh, yeah.” He lifted a short red cylinder. “Prof, I found this wax thing in the pocket of the black cloak. Any idea what it is?”
“Walter!” the professor shouted. “That’s a scentser! Its effects are unpredictable!”
“Well, I’ll just get rid of it, then.” Walter flung it into the fire.
The professor lifted his hands. “Don’t panic! It could just be a sleep inducer. At this point, it might be more beneficial than harmful.”
Bonnie sniffed the air and started giggling.
Billy detected the odor of popcorn, smooth and buttery. He smiled at Bonnie. “What’s so funny?”
Bonnie burst out laughing, and Shiloh joined her. Both giggled like schoolgirls at a slumber party.
Soon, everyone around the fire was snickering, chuckling, or bending over with loud belly laughs. “This is perfect!” Walter said, standing up, barely managing to stifle his own laughs. “Now, there was this fish who loved to play golf. One day, he flopped up onto the seventh green . . .”
The Poems and Prophecies of Circles of Seven
Merlin’s Song
With sword and stone, the holy knight,
Darkness as his bane,
Will gather warriors in the light
Cast in heaven’s flame.
He comes to save a remnant band,
Searching with his maid,
But in a sea of sadness finds
His warriors lying splayed.
A valley deep, a valley long
Lay angels dry and dead
Now who can wake their cold, stone hearts
Their bones on table spread?
Like wine that flows in skins made new
The spirit pours out fresh
Can hymns of love bring forth the dead
And give them hearts of flesh?
O will you learn from words of faith
That sing in psalms from heaven
To valley floors where terrors lurk
In circles numbering seven?
Merlin’s Lullaby
Thou servants of the blackest soul,
Asleep in Av’lon’s shallow bowl,
Wake not as skies above thee break
With ripples sounding in our wake.
While sleep enfolds you in your lair,
We pass you by without a care.
So in your dreams protect her doors,
While safely we approach her shores.
The Compass Room Poem
Young Arthur holds the window’s key
To ancient realms that bear his quest.
The circles know where lie the beasts
Who crave the light, who crave their breath.
The beasts conceal the ancient truths
That dwell behind divided tongues,
But dragons’ hearts reveal their flame
From shining light and psalms well sung.
The prison world awaits a king
To rescue souls who have no hope,
Yet evil spirits also wait
To ride the sword’s redeeming stroke.
In circle one there lies a belt,
The camera’s eye to watch your tale,
A tale as old as man’s first tears
When Adam donned the devil’s veil.
The stone recalls the tale of threats
That lie in circles deeper still.
In letters giving aid and hope
They guide the souls with steadfast will.
You cannot bear this test alone
For faith is edified in pairs,
And bearing witness two agree
Survival rests on faithful prayers.
Beware of mirrors found within
To quell your rival’s fiery darts,
For mirrors sketch our shallow shells;
They cannot fathom human hearts.
Yet mirrors can reflect the truth
And overcome the darkest night;
The perfect law resides in those
Who live by faith and not by sight.
When thinning shadows fade to black
Polaris greets the standing bear,
Then raise the sword to pierce the veil
And strike the pose of saints in prayer.
The Poems of the Circles
The second circle’s path of blood
Instructs the king his debt to pay,
For all who seek a higher call
Must patiently await their day.
In circle three a raven lurks,
Deceiving all with words of scorn,
Yet two can find a hidden door
To take them to a land reborn.
New Eden lives in circle four,
Beginning new a world thereof,
But paradise is sealed for us
Who suffer now for those we love.
A shore afar is circle five;
A captive waits in chains of greed.
Each bite conceals the toxic lust
And veils the demon’s bread and mead.
Not all applaud the king’s brave quest
To rescue men from savage chains,
Yet still he foils the raven’s plot
With tables turned from food to flames.
When weapons fail and faith survives,
In sacrifice the king expires,
But rising from his river grave,
His flame revives to kindle fire.
An urban prison lies in six
Where faithful soldiers e’er prevail,
And death will sprout in life anew
From seeds of light within the grail.
The faithful souls will learn the truth
That spoils of earth will never last.
Contentment holds eternal keys
To days of peace that never pass.
The final circle numbers seven,
And beasts await your sword’s command.
The greatest danger tests your faith,
And wisdom’s touch will make you stand.
The bridge of faith still lies in wait,
The narrow path of answered prayer.
Restore the fountain from the stone,
Regenerating souls laid bare.
A dragon chained in darkest pits
Will not behold pure freedom’s light,
For dragons claim a lofty perch,
Yet cannot reach the highest height.
For even now in pits of gloom
The dragon’s pride will never bow,
Until redemption’s sword sets free
The dragon’s heart to kneel and vow.
Merlin’s Promise
When dragons flew in days of old
With flashing scales and flame,
They soared in scarlet droves of fear
With hearts no man could tame.
The Watchers sang a siren’s chant,
Seducing tickled ears,
Ensnaring girls with heads laid bare
And dragons far and near.
While most fell prey to Satan’s song,
A few held fast their birth
And worshiped God’s created realm,
Religion of the earth.
Content to suffer wrapped in chains,
A dragon leaves the skies.
Content to bleed for souls unknown,
A dragon bows and dies.
But can such faith repel the wrath
When evil is reborn?
Can sacrifice alone endure
When scaly hearts are torn?
A warrior comes with sword and shield,
With truth and faith in hand,
Exposing lies and cutting through
The darkness in the land.
Has eye not seen, has ear not heard,
The love that sets men free?
From scales to flesh he softens hearts;
From red to white he bleeds.
And when the warrior rests his blade,
With virgin bride he kneels.
The dragons fade from scales to dust
And bless the golden seal.
