Legend of the Rose of Ice and the Rose of Life
The following poem was written in conjunction with my latest Romance release, Taming of the Rose. I used a stanza for the video trailer but this is the first time the entire poem has been posted anywhere. Like the novella, it is based in part on historical events as well as European pagan legend.
Legend of the Rose of Ice and the Rose of Life
Kingdoms of greed, politics insure
crusaders of Rome target the heathen impure
to mark as evil both neighbor and kin,
no matter how blood ties their actions offend
as the favor of God they believe they incur
for even hospitable pagans are just heretical blood shed.
To this end White Rose lays out her couture
with a halo of piety as blinding coiffure,
aroused to action like the self-martyred dead
to bring eternal winter her alliances are bred;
a fabric of deceit her sly hands conjure
a thorn of ice her spindle doth thread.
Abstinence’s glory, misdirection’s lure
burgeoning bright by curses obscure;
fate entwined with the blushing Rose Red
planted and growing on one trellis bed;
but resenting, hating her sister’s allure-
to chastity glacial Rose bows her head.
Rose of White, cold petals pure,
Attracts evil’s glance by her demure;
for hunger of power she garbs in dread
to stop the prince and see him dead,
before he brings his land the cure
by taming her sister, Rose of Red.
Ice and snow, frosted heart mature
yet woodland gods and fey are sure
the Queen of Malice is soon to wed,
as soon as her foe’s blood is shed.
But in the Rose of Life pagan faith endures:
That Liberty and Love flower where Desire has led.
© 2011 by Beth Perry
For more information about the novella, Taming the Rose, you can visit the publisher's page here http://www.beyondthepagepub.com/our_authors.html#howard
Or the Romance website http://anyahoward.com
