The Great March to Babylon
The Great March to Babylon (or,'The French Crusade) (1249-1250 A.
D.
) Part One Prologue I The Battles Lay Await Let us go back- That is one of the story teller's Privileges, And put ourselves in the Year 1249-1250 A.
D.
The period known as The French Crusade.
This is really a French Odyssey to say the least! When great battles took place And death and sorrow lay wait.
11 Part Two The Noble Knights (Beginning of the Battles) II The Ships "To Babylon, to Babylon!" The French Knights shouted.
(While disembarking, Some 1800-ships) Vessels great and small; On Saint Nicholas's day- And thus, Started the Great March! 19 II The King's Towers King St.
Louis of France Had two great, chas-chateils (The king's belfries-towers) Built-each three stories high Towers of wood for the King's cross-bows And archers to shoot and Kill the enemy from.
27 Greek Fire Unfortunately, the Sultan's Army, quickly destroyed Each one, with Greek fire (From warlike machines called La perriere, which flung The awesome fire- Likened to stars in the night sky Onto and over everything!) 35 The Templars Even the Templars Bold as they were, Who formed a rear-guard Whose names carried great weight! Could not restrain such a Great undertaking (The great armament Of the Saracens): Thereafter, doom and disaster...
Followed the Knights of France! 45 III The Great Armament For days they fought The Turks and Saracens The French Monarch, Anguished, with his: Dukes and earls, lords, Barons and knights.
Many had fallen and were Falling to their deaths, Many: brothers, cousins, Kin: cloven-breasted.
As their wives back in France, Whispered and wept- Waiting for new husbands! And in the King's tent There was ailing and woe By the dukes, earls and barons! (The great and noble- For their realms in France, Which they may never see again.
) 65 Part Three The March to Babylon IV War was Kindled War and battles were rekindled On the march to Babylon...
Shoulder to shoulder Hand to sword Swords and battle-axes Hand in hand (Infantry, Men on horses, the Calvary), Turks and Saracens, And Knights of France, Warring...
all militaristic Both sides praying to God For glory and might To win the battles That day and night! Thinking they are right! Not accepting wisdom, That, No one kills in the name of God Who is right? And so the doors to death Were wide open...
87 V Disease and Death One could hear Next to his ears On either side The clang and clash of swords Harden by hot anvils! One to the other, Hacked off: Hands, legs, noses, Hurled men and beasts (Like bears and boars-in a hunt) To their deaths; Now like still stones Laying on the ground, Soon to be thrown into the rivers And streams, Staining them with corpses, Reeking a stink That caused disease and death That once touched No man could escape! 107 Part Four The Doomed Knights VI The Dauntless and the Dread The Lords, Gallant Knights With battle-axe and swords With lances, pikes, Shields, All men on horseback- Many too many, Sank in the muddy river To their deaths...
The King badly wounded Yet, He hastened to recover His strength, To battle on A pitiful sight and state for A king...
(As often he did, He made a cross in the sand Each time he left his tent, To honor Jesus Christ: Perhaps, hoping to live Though the day and night.
) 130 VII The Esquire and the King The esquire watching The motion of the battle, High on top his horse, Was struck with a lance Such a blow, ripped Open his shoulder Drove the lance into his neck To where He couldn't draw his sword.
His arms fell around The horse's neck, Then he fell out of his saddle Onto the ground-to His death! As the king's knights Transverse the Turkish Army Of over ten-thousand...
With the king surrounded, Yet he made his escape! 149 Part Five The Gallant Horses VIII Grappled with Agony In the mist of the latter battles The horses battle-fatigued, Swayed with ripped hides, Split asunder Leaped over the dead The rotting corpses Over bodies as they foamed And bled themselves from the mouth Teeth garnishing Spurs sunk deep into their flesh As harnesses were used as whips: Arrows and swords thumped Against them, Each grappled with agony To go forward, to their deaths...
! And the heat of the desert Sunk in, there was no escape! 166 Greek Fire The Black Smoke From he burning Naphtha- The incoming Greek fire One by one-as the knights Gave up hope, The sun unmerciful, Hot and low, No higher than a tree Dropped the horses To their knees! Bleakly staring down on life...
177 Part Six The War's End IX The Sword and Long Spear And at the battles Very end-the Noble Kings of France With their swords and Long spears: Wither their Infantry Calvary, archers- Knights, barons Lords and all...
Could not smother The great battles For Victory...
(Bring to its concluding end The war, yet with honor and dignity, They expired nonetheless; Surrendered) It was the might Of the Great Dragon The flying Greek fire that did! And so it was, The king and the noble but Doomed kings of France Were brought to their knees, With extending arms and eyes To the heavens And cried for mercy: And God heard them.
204 Epitaph But let it be said: No man goes to war, And kills In God's name, That is blaspheming! 209 No: 3256 (Written 12-8-2001)
D.
) Part One Prologue I The Battles Lay Await Let us go back- That is one of the story teller's Privileges, And put ourselves in the Year 1249-1250 A.
D.
The period known as The French Crusade.
This is really a French Odyssey to say the least! When great battles took place And death and sorrow lay wait.
11 Part Two The Noble Knights (Beginning of the Battles) II The Ships "To Babylon, to Babylon!" The French Knights shouted.
(While disembarking, Some 1800-ships) Vessels great and small; On Saint Nicholas's day- And thus, Started the Great March! 19 II The King's Towers King St.
Louis of France Had two great, chas-chateils (The king's belfries-towers) Built-each three stories high Towers of wood for the King's cross-bows And archers to shoot and Kill the enemy from.
27 Greek Fire Unfortunately, the Sultan's Army, quickly destroyed Each one, with Greek fire (From warlike machines called La perriere, which flung The awesome fire- Likened to stars in the night sky Onto and over everything!) 35 The Templars Even the Templars Bold as they were, Who formed a rear-guard Whose names carried great weight! Could not restrain such a Great undertaking (The great armament Of the Saracens): Thereafter, doom and disaster...
Followed the Knights of France! 45 III The Great Armament For days they fought The Turks and Saracens The French Monarch, Anguished, with his: Dukes and earls, lords, Barons and knights.
Many had fallen and were Falling to their deaths, Many: brothers, cousins, Kin: cloven-breasted.
As their wives back in France, Whispered and wept- Waiting for new husbands! And in the King's tent There was ailing and woe By the dukes, earls and barons! (The great and noble- For their realms in France, Which they may never see again.
) 65 Part Three The March to Babylon IV War was Kindled War and battles were rekindled On the march to Babylon...
Shoulder to shoulder Hand to sword Swords and battle-axes Hand in hand (Infantry, Men on horses, the Calvary), Turks and Saracens, And Knights of France, Warring...
all militaristic Both sides praying to God For glory and might To win the battles That day and night! Thinking they are right! Not accepting wisdom, That, No one kills in the name of God Who is right? And so the doors to death Were wide open...
87 V Disease and Death One could hear Next to his ears On either side The clang and clash of swords Harden by hot anvils! One to the other, Hacked off: Hands, legs, noses, Hurled men and beasts (Like bears and boars-in a hunt) To their deaths; Now like still stones Laying on the ground, Soon to be thrown into the rivers And streams, Staining them with corpses, Reeking a stink That caused disease and death That once touched No man could escape! 107 Part Four The Doomed Knights VI The Dauntless and the Dread The Lords, Gallant Knights With battle-axe and swords With lances, pikes, Shields, All men on horseback- Many too many, Sank in the muddy river To their deaths...
The King badly wounded Yet, He hastened to recover His strength, To battle on A pitiful sight and state for A king...
(As often he did, He made a cross in the sand Each time he left his tent, To honor Jesus Christ: Perhaps, hoping to live Though the day and night.
) 130 VII The Esquire and the King The esquire watching The motion of the battle, High on top his horse, Was struck with a lance Such a blow, ripped Open his shoulder Drove the lance into his neck To where He couldn't draw his sword.
His arms fell around The horse's neck, Then he fell out of his saddle Onto the ground-to His death! As the king's knights Transverse the Turkish Army Of over ten-thousand...
With the king surrounded, Yet he made his escape! 149 Part Five The Gallant Horses VIII Grappled with Agony In the mist of the latter battles The horses battle-fatigued, Swayed with ripped hides, Split asunder Leaped over the dead The rotting corpses Over bodies as they foamed And bled themselves from the mouth Teeth garnishing Spurs sunk deep into their flesh As harnesses were used as whips: Arrows and swords thumped Against them, Each grappled with agony To go forward, to their deaths...
! And the heat of the desert Sunk in, there was no escape! 166 Greek Fire The Black Smoke From he burning Naphtha- The incoming Greek fire One by one-as the knights Gave up hope, The sun unmerciful, Hot and low, No higher than a tree Dropped the horses To their knees! Bleakly staring down on life...
177 Part Six The War's End IX The Sword and Long Spear And at the battles Very end-the Noble Kings of France With their swords and Long spears: Wither their Infantry Calvary, archers- Knights, barons Lords and all...
Could not smother The great battles For Victory...
(Bring to its concluding end The war, yet with honor and dignity, They expired nonetheless; Surrendered) It was the might Of the Great Dragon The flying Greek fire that did! And so it was, The king and the noble but Doomed kings of France Were brought to their knees, With extending arms and eyes To the heavens And cried for mercy: And God heard them.
204 Epitaph But let it be said: No man goes to war, And kills In God's name, That is blaspheming! 209 No: 3256 (Written 12-8-2001)
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