literature

The Duellists

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Literature Text

The Duellists

Within the dark wood duelling hall
'Midst golden statues proud and tall
The fighters seemed so tiny, small.

With slender wands of steel gripped
With arming jackets, old and ripped
They stood, of false bravado stripped.

The first, of stature tall and lean
Eyes of blue with steely sheen
A man of edges, honed and keen.

The second, shorter, rounder, stout
But harder within than without
A veteran of a thousand bouts.

Across the narrow strip of floor
For decades trod by rich and poor
The fighters gazed; fine foes they saw.

An icy stillness was the norm
The calm before the duel, the storm
The duellists stood, first stances formed.

Their rapiers held before them, still
Held back by their two wielders' wills
Awaiting now the fight, the thrill

The duo struck, with lightning skill.
This was inspired to a degree by Adrian Tchaikovsky's Shadows of the Apt series of books, specifically by the characters of Tisamon, the Mantis duellist, and Stenwold, the Beetle artificer and spymaster. If you've read the books, you'll probably understand the relationship between the characters once you've read the poem. Enjoy.
© 2011 - 2024 Huwage
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Leguim-May's avatar
Incredible poem!

Have you read the short story Adrian wrote, about the fighting arenas in Helleron?