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Peter J Marcroft
Member
since 2003-02-02
Posts 265
York, England

0 posted 2003-06-22 09:10 AM


Through the forest I walk,
Lost, confused and alone,
In this wood I met the man,
Who offered me a vision of hell's throne.

Onwards we travelled into infinity,
Through the forest unto the gate,
"Abandon all hope ye who enter here."
No turning back, 'tis far too late.

Through the cave of fire I sail,
A man of great evil steers the vessel,
"We twist through the nine plains
The place Lucifer rules, hell."

I'm not affraid as the dark approaches,
Into it effortlessly we are drawn,
I feel the stinging cries of the damned,
For hell is the power master and I am the fawn.

"Welcome unto purgatory, the damned here repent."
I watch as from the sky cold rain falls,
Black sin slowly flows from the bodies,
And then the pure soul, climbs heaven's walls.

Onward we travel into the next plain,
Despair begins to howl loud,
I approach a seven walled castle,
That blocks the horizon like a black shroud.

Within lie numerous souls,
Caesar, arristotle and homer, none are glad,
There seems to be no punishment here,
Instead there is serenity yet still sad.

"Beware the seven sins, they guide you despair,
Onwards we travel to where the lustful lie,
Trapped by the howling of nature,
Without the wings that they need to fly."

The world is dark in the second plain,
I watch as bodies are blown by the wind,
They scream for mercy for their lust,
But it is too late, for they sinned.

We move through to the third,
Cerberus, the tri-headed beast, snaps his jaws,
The damned squeal in the rain and mud,
While the beast lashes them with fangs and claws.

In the distance flows the styx,
But before there lies the fourth plain,
The greedy souls, hording all in life,
Share their burdens and their eternal pain.

I scream at the sight of men here,
The weights of their sins crush them,
Then the wolf Plutus snarls,
And hatefully scars them with his phlegm.

I venture behind the guide to the fifth,
I watch in horror as the hateful fight,
Their scornful ways in life,
Drown them in the styx amidst their spite.

The heat rises as we emerge from the river,
I approach the walls of satan's city of Dis,
Heretics smoulder in burning tombs,
And snake-haired Medusa laughs in bliss.

My eyes sting as we leave the city,
And emerge within the seventh plain of hell,
Fire rains from heaven on blasphemers,
And the sinners that here doth dwell.

Bodies of generals hang from twisted trees,
Harpies build nests of flesh in the dead,
I turn from the scene to face the minotaur,
Whose snarls fill me with quivering dread.

We fall from the seventh into Maleborge,
The snake pit, ampitheatre of fire,
Horned demons whip the flesh of pimps,
While others struggle in the depths of this mire.

At the sight of men scratching away their flesh,
I am forced to quiver and stammer,
Hypocrites walk in lead-lined cloaks,
Sinners here are smote by justice's hammer.

Through eight plains of despair I have wandered,
Slowly I have approached the end,
All that remains is the final plain,
A place I will hopefully never attend.

Blasts of icy wind smash my body,
As we venture into coctyus, the pit of despair,
Here the fallen angel lucifer himself,
Awaits those who come into his lair.

His wings they forever flap,
Icy peaks form all around,
Screaming faces are frozen deep in ice,
Their despairing screams produce no sound.

I walk along the glacier,
And espy the traitors in lucifer's grasp,
Judas, cassius and brutus,
No quarter can they ask.

"Here lie those who betrayed their kin."
The maddened guide tells me,
"Against god, family and country
Never of their sin can they be free."

I am filled with despair,
As I walk the sea of silver light,
Towards the kingdom above ground,
A place where I will fight.

The decieving priests of the lord,
Who betray him for their gain,
Truth of hell I shall reveal,
To end their foolish game.

© Copyright 2003 Peter J Marcroft - All Rights Reserved
mysticpoe
Senior Member
since 2003-02-28
Posts 883

1 posted 2003-06-22 12:05 PM


You made my soul quiver. every nice write.

mysticpoe

If nothing is something
then everything is
our thoughts and feelings
and all that exists.

Peter J Marcroft
Member
since 2003-02-02
Posts 265
York, England
2 posted 2003-06-22 12:16 PM


Thank you for reading, I digress this only a mere fraction of the brilliance that is the original 'divine comedy' of Dante.  But I have been so inspired by my readings of it that I felt compelled to write this, but still thank you very much for reading this piece.
laurie
Member
since 2003-05-28
Posts 153
canada, ontario
3 posted 2003-06-22 10:04 PM


honestly, l can't think of a single thing l'd change... l suck at technical poetry.
anyway, wow... wow is about all l can say.
your imagery is...simply amazing.
l lilke.
laurie.

Peter J Marcroft
Member
since 2003-02-02
Posts 265
York, England
4 posted 2003-06-23 02:01 AM


Thank you very much for reading and I am flattered you think so highly of this piece.
rapturedmist
Junior Member
since 2003-06-23
Posts 30
USA
5 posted 2003-06-23 02:47 AM


This is..wow, just wow. I don't think I could just pick one part of it that was my favorite.
-RM

Peter J Marcroft
Member
since 2003-02-02
Posts 265
York, England
6 posted 2003-06-23 05:29 AM


I am glad you enjoyed the piece, thank you very much for reading it
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