Shaun William Hayes (May 30th / The edge of the New Forest, UK)

Emerging slowly to a resonant truth
The mind, body and soul of an errant youth
Yawned, stretched and reached out to life
Seeking knowledge, fortune - and maybe a wife


So he girded his loins and rode out with the Sun
Having bid farewell to his kin, and especially his mum
“One day”, he proclaimed “I’ll return with great store”
But that’s another song, so I’ll sing it no more...


Cross many lands our brave boy did travel
Sometimes on grass, sometimes on gravel
Learning as he went the way of the knight
This took a long time as he wasn’t too bright


Of maidens and dragons and much derring do
Our hero encountered perhaps one or two
But nothing compared to the day when perchance
He encountered the evil black knight and his lance


He was a prince and had won so much Gold
But his heart was of stone and exceedingly cold
He would fight in the lists and had never been beat
Making fortunes on side-bets, which is actually quite neat


Well our young boy was now a man in his prime
But to risk all for money, was this really a crime
“Naaa” he thought, “I can take this black knight”,
As I said before, not very bright


They met at noon, lances raised in salute
A lady’s favour attached, hmm she was quite a beaut
The thunder of hooves, the clash onto shields
Why did this grim combat have so much appeal?


Five lances apiece yet still they both vied
Bloodied and bruised but full of man pride
When suddenly our man took one full in the head
He fell from his horse, of course he was dead


Which as well as a shame and being terribly gory
Is a rather unsatisfactory end to this story.