Ballad of Blades
Unlike the bow, spear, axe, or knife,
the sword was always a weapon of war;
the best solution for winning up-close combat;
hacking, cleaving, slicing, cutting its way
into history, literature, and cinema,
reigning for centuries, conjuring imagery
of heroic deeds, swashbuckling pirates,
bastardly brigands, duelists, warriors, and lords.
Viking and Celtic broadswords were massive
two-handed slashers, built for and wielded by
brutes and berserkers. As technology refined
the swords, we discovered that thrusting was
far more effective than cutting, piercing organs
rather than just hacking off heads and limbs.
We called them many names--saber, rapier,
cutlass, scimitar, falchion, talwar, dussack,
epee, and machete--backsword, long sword,
short sword, and broadsword, festooned them
with the symbols of every nation, but for me
it is the Japanese katana that will ever be king;
lying lethal in a gold-encrusted sheath,
curve down, edge up; well-oiled,
powdered and polished, created from 4-7 pieces,
combining hard high carbon steel and tough
low carbon steel, providing exquisite edge
and sturdy resilience--seven layers deep,
heated, hammered, and rolled up to 16 times.
The clarion clang of steel upon steel,
the nightmarish sound of blades cutting flesh,
the blood geysers rising hot into murderous mist
have been replaced by radium-laced shells,
smart bombs and global strike capacity.
Where is Ivanhoe when he need him?
Glenn Buttkus
March 2011
Listed as #32 over on Magpie Tales 58
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13 comments:
From the title to the finish, this is wonderful!
I didn't know there were so many cutting, slicing, stabbing weapons!
"the blood geysers rising hot into murderous mist have been replaced by radium-laced shells,smart bombs and global strike capacity" - I shudder at what was and what is.
Well written.
Oh, this was great. Love the way you wrapped it all up in your last stanza. Theatrical audio, as usual. Thanks, Glenn.
Good one- I was amazed how may names there were for slicing and dicing. When I was writing my Magpie for this week I had to research all the different names of weapons from the past-
The ways of death and battle forever change - but the outcome is always the same.
Well observed.
Anna :o]
You certainly know how to deliver a Magpie ... loved hearing it.
Glenn,
The Frazetta drawing reminds me I was meaning to call about Buddhist meditation and probably shouldn't put it off any longer.
This 'buckler' prompt of Tess's got me to think about all those things I've meant to purge from myself . . . and the world.
Trulyfool
I did not know so many names for swords-but I have always thought it a more fair fight than bombs and guns.. just wish there were no reason for the fight to begin with. Alas.. my naivete is showing.
Wonderfully shared piece. Shuddering at the thought, yet more so at what it is now...
aren't we a blood thirsty species? good magpie
Glenn, I really struggled with this Magpie, but after reading your piece over and over, I felt led to write not one, but two. Thank you for sharing your wealth of knowledge of these artifacts as well as your wonderful way with words.
Interesting post, war almost seems computer generated nowadays, it distances the pain but as someone said the result is the same, thanks for featuring my little piece on your blog.
Dear Glenn: Glorious history in poetic form...Particularly love;
brutes and berserkers
Who knew about thrust rather than slash? Japanese Samari swords are so awesome! Sure I could shave with one!
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