The Five who Stood

These are the events of the final moments of the gate battle, Pennsic 38 (AS 44.) This poem was written in kvithuhattr, an old Norse style, by Grim the Skald

1. The best tales	tell of a few
Men who stand	‘gainst many foes
And yield not.	I offer you
The word fame	of five who stood
2. At one gate	in a great wall
That parted	the Pennsic field
Fierce tygers	tore the Dragon
Who charged back	breaking the line.
3. Cleftland’s spears	split the East-line
Dark Moon’s swords	drove in after
When the charge	wounded the East
Five tygers	in fight remained
4. White and green	wore four of these –
Blazon of	their bold household
Noble Karl,	quiet but fierce,
Billy Fish	with blazing sword,
5. Constantine	of Kingly blood
At his side	eager Durkin.
The fifth man,	a famed master:
Duke Randall	the Dark Spearman
6. Tyger’s kin,	enclosed by foes,
Stood bravely,	braced ‘gainst the horde.
Bold Gunnar,	Battle-maker,
Hailed the five	fierce defenders
7. “If you men	yield us the Gate,
We’ll offer	you honor in
Single fights.	Defer to us
You’ll not fall	‘gainst fruitless odds.”
8. Courage showed	Karl Meerstapa
He hailed back	“To hell with that!
We’ll not yield	without combat
We’ll fight you	to own this gate.”
9 .Gunnar laughed	and loudly said
“Well spoken.”	He spurred his men
Forward to	the five tygers
Great but brief	battle followed.
10. Though these five	fell to a man
They fought ‘till	their final breath
Eager they	to Odin went
Val-Hall’s field	they fight in now

© 2009 Dan Marsh