Muslin-Shrouded Boy

Image provided by Tess Kincaid, borrowed from Google


Muslin-Shrouded Boy

If you stand still
in the great hall
close to
midnight
you will see the
muslin-shrouded
image of a boy
aged seventeen.
Look closely
if you dare
and see the
blonde lock of hair
sweep over his
black eyelashed
sapphire blue,
eyes.

By his side a girl
of maybe sixteen
holds his ghostly hand
black ringlets
cascading down
her back.
She leans into
him,
always.

He was rumoured to
be a fine soldier
but not brave enough
to defy the generations
of his family who had
picked out his bride
for him.

On the eve of his wedding
he used his favourite sword
to remove him and
his true love
to another realm.

Only the living cried
the boy and his love
would rather have
faced eternity
than live
a living death
in this world
where a boy
could not
marry a
serving girl.

Listen hard enough
and you will
sense them
smile.

Brigid O'Connor

Posted over on her site Sort of Writing
Listed as #6 on Magpie Tales 58