NaPoWriMo day seven

the opportunity
of her beauty
grasped
 
any indication
of interest
room for escape
 
escape would have been
impossible
 
reports of escape
important and difficult
to believe
 
easy enough
to have a cell door opened
and a corridor kept clear
and to receive a guest
 
risky but possible
easy pressure
brought to bear
 
*
 
years of
the peak of her beauty
 
there is room for speculation
 
(he did; most boldly)
 
his life had been seized
he would take this risk
 
it is not difficult
to believe fine dark eyes
 
occasion to receive a guest
a liaison under pressure
 
it was customary
to celebrate with much
eating and drinking,
drugged,
              fallen.
 
a complete silence
after partaking
of the feast
 
*
 
She was still
a woman of loveliness
and charm,
impossible for him
to escape.
He had such assistance.
 
Why risk
his life? He was not
in a position
to take this risk.
 
Emotions aroused,
it is easy enough
to have a door open.
 
It would be risky
but possible
to carry on a liaison
under the eyes of
the night, supplies
for the occasion
supplied, a passage
found lying,
sudden slumber.

NaPoWriMo day six

The three Edwards were needed.
Time had introduced spies
with definite instructions,
with all the evidence needed,
authority to act without consent
secretly, to surround houses,
seize the archives, take
possession of all of his
prepared betrayals.
History was brought into court
and formally charge;
pleaded innocence.
The authorities proceeded then
to extract confessions.
He was turned over to the experts
at loosening tongues,
protesting innocence
to the end.
 
*
 
in the meantime,
minister a compliant tool—
instrument of condition.
in the parlour, a trap
was sprung.
who had authority to act?
in the night they were
to take possession;
secrecy was enjoined.
by midnight
a catalogue of crimes,
preachers rehearsing
the whole list
of startling charges.
torture, under
the direction of innocence,
to the end.
 
*
 
The three Edwards
needed transport,
intrigue.
Who had been compliant
in most matters?
The instrument still sealed,
the evidence secret, guilty
of heresy, every chapter
with orders to prepare.
Not a hint of purpose,
the plan was carried out
without toil.
The way had been prepared.
 
This was on a Friday.
On Saturday they
pleaded their innocence.
On Sunday, the whole list
of confessions,
the instruments
turned over to the experts,
loosening tongues
protesting
their innocence.

NaPoWriMo day five

Edward protested:
find the favoured man
to reveal the truth.
it is you! it is for love of you
that I will never have any other.
 
Edward declared:
it is hard to escape—
he had been the victim
of a woman’s tears,
the sweet curve of her
charms, the enticement
of a very fine figure
bent before him—
but the years passed.
 
it was clear to all
concerned, Edward
was wise enough
to realize the consequences
he planned.
 
*
 
profess inability.
Edward protested then.
This admission.
Years passed.
The impression.
He might have been willing.
To go on living.
As before.
Be careful.
Assess proper worth.
On that account,
allow nothing
to stand.
He meant what he said.
 
*
 
the inability to answer
would make him a mortal enemy
 
the time had come
this fervent protestation:

i vow
 
after all the years
it is hard to escape
 
left entirely the victim of
 
the memories of
 
the enticement of
 
preparations for the ceremony
finally announced
 
he made it clear:
allow all, and all
the nobility; to see
it was clear to all
concerned, to
realize
all.

NaPoWriMo day four

The old king spent his last days
for his successor.
The young king is said
to have entertained thousands.
 
His mistress kept calling
certain matters
to his attention,
talking and urging
action. She assured him
the course of history
might change memories.
 
*
 
The death of the king
must have been pleasant.
Many additions and alterations
had been needed.
 
He made no pretense
of attending to favours
for someone or other:
the bishop, his son,
that busybody
restored in spite of the pains
of maintaining a fiction.
He was tired.
He had lived long enough.
 
*
 
so well used
so elaborate
 
Edward found it ideal
for the weak condition
into which he had lapsed
 
Edward had been pleased to see her
because she went to pains
for his benefit
 
he would soon resume
all his old activities
 
he did not want to die yet
he depended entirely on changes
in the interests of history

NaPoWriMo day three

Edward rested that first night,
to express his grief in a memorable manner
he carried his devoted burden.
This custom was to be universal—
the desire that everywhere men clamored
for a chance to bear.
Feeling that once beautiful remembrance,
Edward rested. A wise decision, for the work
could not be surpassed.
 
*
 
He recalled that twenty years before
the procession stopped
that amazing procession was recorded.
He bore the weight
of surpassing beauty
at every place where her body
rested for a night:
the first,
the second,
the third,
the fourth,
the fifth,
the sixth,
the seventh,
the eight,
the ninth,
the tenth,          
the eleventh,
and last.
 
*
 
the determination
became fixed in the mind
to express doubt.
 
so desired—
on at least one other occasion—
worthy beauty
so well loved,
entrusted to hands,
the work
the sweetest and quietest
a bubbling spring