Beauty And The Beast Poem by Eric Ericson

In the days just after Arthur
lived a maiden passing fair
with a beauty like the lily
and gold dust in her hair.

The prince who ruled the land
full of over bearing pride
sent his knight a questing for her
so that she would be his bride.

It did not take long to find her
for the rumor's blaring force
like a river broad and mighty
can be traced right to its source.

And beauty beyond beauty
as you may surmise
is seen in every aspect;
the lips, the hair, the eyes,

the gently flowing curves,
the turn of hand, and cheek,
in waist, hips, knees, and ankles,
the voice with which they speak.

Perfect in every aspect
she there before him stood.
When informed about the quest,
she smiled and said. 'It's good'

'That I should be queen' she said,
'Is evident to see.
For, in all the world,
there is none prettier than me'

Another maiden entered,
offering service on the way
to ease the lady's burden
as she traveled through the day.

The women stood before him.
How one in beauty shown,
and the other, there beside her
was more like a common stone.

They set forth on the journey
and on throughout the day
'beauty' spent her time complaining.
She had nothing good to say.

And ‘plainness, ' her attitude was
a glimmer of fine gold,
her soft and gentle humor
a wonder to behold.

That evening after dinner
at the closing of the day,
he looked upon ‘the beauty'
as the sunlight slipped away.

When the moonlight caught her features
he saw her gaunt and bare,
bereft of all but ugliness
and hardly any hair.

He turned away in horror
to where the other maiden stood
doing clean up after dinner.
Her cooking was quite good

And he saw the moonlight twinkle
in her eyes and off her nose
like the sunlight on a dewdrop
when it glistens on a rose.

He wondered at this vision
and he didn't mean to stare,
but the moonlight's golden fingers
mixed the stars into her hair.

Next morning when the sun came up
and 'rosy fingered dawn',
erupted on the mountains
bidding shadows to move on.

His eyes passed to the maidens
as they struggled on their way
to arriving at the castle
at the ending of the day,

and he saw them in the sunlight
as by Luna's hands transformed.
One complaining gaunt and hollow,
one with love and life adorned,

and her laughter was like music,
and he finally realized;
the length and height and depth of beauty
one can see with ‘inner eyes'.

In conclusion
Ladies

If your certain gentle someone
doesn't seem to care
about the problems with your
lips or hips or height or weight or hair.

Just turn and kiss him gently,
and do not be surprised
if he's lost in all the beauty
that is seen with ‘inner eyes'.

Gentlemen

When you're looking at a maiden,
fair or homely I don't care,
and you're pondering her curves,
or length and luster of her hair.

Please take a second look
and you may be surprised;
oh the wonder, oh the beauty
one can see with ‘inner eyes'.