《Hero's Song - A Novel in Verse》Chapter 04 - The Slave

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The merchant led the boy through streets that overflowed with sound

everywhere he looked he saw no grass upon the ground

fabrics full of colours he had never seen before

hanging from the walls of every shop and every store

“This is where you’ll get your food, and over there some tools

stay away from that shop there, it’s meant for drunks and fools

find some clothes and get some working shoes to hide your feet,

and if you bring your gold to that shop there, please be discreet”

After showing him around the city for a day

the boy assured the merchant that he’d not forget the way

“so tell me, brave young pilgrim, do you have a skill or two

you’re interesting, sure, but is there work that you can do”

The boy had never planned to take the merchant’s charity

his pride was badly shaken but he faced reality

he’d learn the business of the city, and from his mistakes

he’d become a wiser man, should that be what it takes

Though the boy was ignorant of trade and industry

he did the work he could to move toward his destiny

he’d rather be an errand boy, and learning what he could

then go back to farm and spend his evenings chopping wood

And so a year had passed before the boy had time to think

working while the merchant gave him shelter, food, and drink

although he’d only traded in his shovel for a broom

he’d rather serve a mansion than be free in one small room

City life revolved around the ships that come and go

the daily lives of sailors that the boy would come to know

he listened to the sailors’ tales of pirates, wars, and gold

far off lands all full of too much beauty to behold

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He longed to board a vessel bound for somewhere far away

a ship of mercenaries fighting pirates every day

but he was honour-bound to work until his debt was paid

the merchant was a friend that he was lucky to have made

The second year he made some friends and learned to read and write

he also made some enemies, but soon he learned to fight

he spoke to countless travellers and learned of far off lands

he learned of kings and heroes who held nations in their hands

He learned that what the sailors drank was not the wine he knew

he learned that drinking ale was quite a safer thing to do

he learned a bit of common sense and how to cheat at cards

a sailor even taught him how to bribe the city guards

He wasn’t sure he’d use the many skills he quickly learned

but felt that he was gaining on the fate for which he yearned

he was never far from sailors singing songs while drunk

bragging of the many pirate ships their fleet had sunk

One summer day while keeping shop, the boy would overhear

the merchant soon would travel over sea for one whole year

“you mustn’t leave without me, I’ll protect you all the way

I was born to sail and face adventure every day”

The merchant stroked his beard and sighed, but couldn’t tell him no

“you can come along but learn to swim before we go”

the stubborn boy was thrilled by what the merchant had declared

and did his very best to learn the ropes and be prepared

From that moment on he wore a smile upon his face

dreaming every night about adventure’s warm embrace

not another moment would he spend an errand boy

the sea would give him countless new adventures to enjoy

In the city, he had no more status than a slave

and for all his effort, not a copper did he save

but he could only blame the lack of opportunity

and he would surely prove his worth upon the open sea

The stories that he heard so often filled him up with cheer

the words of friends who worried for him though, were hard to hear

“you’ve heard stories told of heroes, pirates, knights, and kings

we wonder what you really know of any of these things”

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