"The Ladies' Knight" by Kenton Adler, First Place, 2013

The Ladies' Knight

by Kenton Adler

First Place, 2013

Noble knight, The Hawk of May,
proud and tall, and fair of skin.
Steady, piercing eyes of gray.
A prize for any maid to win.

Yet, for all that, he stood alone,
bent on strength and feats of arms.
Thoughts of metal cleaving bone,
far from courtly ladies’ charms.

Prince of Lothian, new-made knight,
sun gleamed in his copper hair. 
Armor polished clean and bright.
Still, no esteem for damsels fair.

At King Arthur’s wedding feast,
the peak of chivalry in flower,
by surprise a questing beast
appeared to test their skill and power.

To Gawain fell the task, soon fateful,
as his mettle need be tried.
For the boon, he truly grateful,
gave thanks and would not be denied.

Into the wood the hart went bounding,
white and pure as new-laid snow.
Gawain with his young heart pounding,
on hunting horn a hearty blow.

Long the dogs and new knight followed,
crashing through the growth and fall.
By the forest they were swallowed
as the chase consumed them all.

Then ahead he spied a clearing.
At the baying of the hounds,
thought the lad as he was nearing
that the stag was dragged to ground.

A castle rose from out of nowhere.
Through the gate the buck had raced.
His hounds close on, and he would go there,
hoping thus to end the chase.

In the courtyard, bathed in blood,
Gawain found his deer hounds slain.
Over them a warrior stood,
blade unsheathed and deathly stained.

Blinded by a mindless fury
Gawain fell about that lord.
Driven not by fame or glory,
but revenge to guide his sword.

Long the pair engaged each other
‘til advantage Gawain won.
“Mercy!” cried the vanquished brother,
but the young knight would have none.

The master’s lady begged and pleaded.
For her love she vainly spoke.
She cast herself between, unheeded,
and lost her head to Gawain’s stroke.

From within four knights emerged,
then surrounded Gawain there.
Forced to yield as they converged,
he succumbed in plain despair.

Back to Arthur he was ordered.
To the members of the court,
how his madness led to murder,
bound by honor to report.

Downcast rode the youth from battle,
lady’s head hung from his neck.
Her body slung across his saddle,
marked his shame and disrespect.

Guenevere, in matters feminine,
sitting judgment of his plight,
decreed that hence he’d honor women.
Thus he became, “The Ladies’ Knight.”