A Little Prose and a Little Rhyme

This is the first part of a prose-exchange between Author Peter Benson (you can find him on authors den!!) and us. Hope you will enjoy!


The Knight and The Owls


The wise knight had posted his message and leaned back in his chair, his mind pondering on the possibilities of predators out there in his King’s land. And while he was thinking, a soft, fluttering sound disturbed him. He turned around in his chair and there, on the mantel of his fireplace, calm and almost unreal, a white owl was sitting, looking at him, not making sound, quiet, observing.
But before he could figure out how it had gotten there, another noise disturbed the perfect silence. He turned and, much to his surprise, another owl, darker than the first one, was sitting on top of the old grandfather clock. It spread it’s wings and folded them back in.
He turned to look back at the first owl and it seemed as if those ancient , clear, eyes looked right into his soul, not once blinking.
Slowly he turned back to the other owl, but it was gone, only one feather was slowly falling to the ground, resting finally on the lush carpet of his room. He turned back toward the first owl, opening his mouth to say something, but she too, was gone. Instead, a single rose was laying on the mantel.
Behind him the curtains softly waved in the mild breeze that came through the window.
He picked up the feather and the rose and, holding both of them in his hands, he looked out the window, into the golden afternoon. From far away he could hear a soft laughter, but then again, it could have been the rustle of the trees or the murmur of the river…

© January 2006, Birgit and Roger Pratcher

Here a little bit of "dark" poetry:

As the raven soars past
majestic and dark and yet fast
my fears like a waterfall will rise
and to my utmost surprise
an old owl cries out in the distance
reminding me of my fragexistenceance
and the despersquealqeal of her prey
answers from far awIy
i know that now is the time, the moment
the one I so feared and yet awaited -
all my life.

© January 2006, RB Pratcher