The Leather-Cloth Wars (Poetry Monthly)
By Ed Crane
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On those great days, half-century flown, on the yellowing sea-dust and cackle-stones
by the waving-water, hoards of black-skins with oil-heads arrived mounted on Thunder-horses.
‘Vanquish the Roman-pony riders,’ went up the great cry.
The challenge was met by swathes of suit-warriors, many were covered with olive-tents.
And henceforth the great leather-cloth wars began.
Many months passed and battles fought in bottom-land villages.
Back and forth the advantage swayed while the saga-writers
saw all and more, telling stories of snake-bite spilled in gallons on the walking-ways.
But the Wig-Gods looked down and were alarmed and sent blue-angels to protect the surf-folks.
In the three-score years the veal-fleshed armies were divided and conquered.
But the legend of the leather-cloth wars lives on!
Relived and embellished in the pages the great saga-writers: Fire-Ball and Double-You.
Over time peace prevailed and the aging leaders of the great armies held a “Thing.”
The hallowed halls of the Bloody-Cat destined to be the home of the “Great-Moot.”
Reading-Tony; Czar of the suit-warriors arrived, carried on the wings of a silver Stuttgart-eagle.
Mythical-Mick-the-Mad; leader of the black-skins was transported in a black folk-horse.
What passed at the Thing is unknown, but many brown-shells of Belgian-starfish lay empty.
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Comments
I too thought the idea was
I too thought the idea was interesting, though whether thoughts will get further, I don't know. You have done a lot of work here, making the whole 60s war sound like a Viking tale! I don't know if I've sussed it all out, but there were lots of clever kennings eg Wig-Gods and blue-angels. Is Fire-Ball a newspaper called 'The Comet'? Rhiannon
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A valiant effort, Ed. I love
A valiant effort, Ed. I love leather cloth, cackle stones sea dust double you wig gods, it's rich and the rhythm is poetic. You can argue the toss over what stacks up as poetry for eternity, the piece is inventive and its cryptic elements engage your reader.
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It definitely counts as
It definitely counts as poetry Ed. Deserving of cherries too, complicated story.
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