Poem: "Once the Avalanche Has Begun"
Dec. 31st, 2025 04:03 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem came out of the March 4, 2025 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from mama_kestrel and rix_scaedu. It also fills the "Old Forrest" square in my 3-1-25 card for the Tolkien Bingo Fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis.
"Once the Avalanche Has Begun"
The neighboring town of
Old Forest had elected an idiot.
The new mayor was well-liked
and well-connected but not
so well blessed with wits.
He had put forth all sorts
of ideas that sounded good
to some of the townspeople,
but when put into practice
quickly caused disasters.
Shaeth kept an eye on
the situation, but he
did not interfere since
it wasn't his town or
sphere of influence.
"Mind if I hide in here
for a bit?" asked Ziff
as he came inside.
Usually he sold booze
from a cart around town,
and sometimes he sold
to the temple as well.
Today he didn't seem
interested in dragging
his wares through town.
"Any honest merchant of
libations is welcome here,"
said Shaeth. "What's
going on out there?"
"The folks in Old Forest
just found out the new tax
on outside merchants means
the tavern can't resupply as
well as it used to, and what's
left costs more," said Ziff.
"So they're all coming here
to get drunk," Trobby guessed.
"That could turn into trouble,
if they're unhappy about
the results of their choice."
"Right, and they're also
upset about felling trees
in the Old Forest itself,"
said Ziff. "They wanted
the money, then realized
that their favorite spots
were getting cut down.
So they're throwing a fit."
"Once the avalanche
has begun, it's too late
for the pebbles to vote,"
Shaeth said solemnly.
"Or run away," Prell said,
fingers picking at her lute.
"Or try to hide," said Denore,
who had just stopped sketching.
"Or really much of anything
at all," Glenta finished.
"Well, they may be stuck
with their hand-picked idiot,
but now we're stuck with
bitchy neighbors," said Ziff.
"So what should we do?"
Trobby asked Shaeth.
Distressed voices
clamored outside
of the temple doors.
"Start pouring drinks,"
Shaeth told his priest.
"That's what we're here for."
mama_kestrel and rix_scaedu. It also fills the "Old Forrest" square in my 3-1-25 card for the Tolkien Bingo Fest. This poem has been sponsored by a pool with fuzzyred. It belongs to the series One God's Story of Mid-Life Crisis."Once the Avalanche Has Begun"
The neighboring town of
Old Forest had elected an idiot.
The new mayor was well-liked
and well-connected but not
so well blessed with wits.
He had put forth all sorts
of ideas that sounded good
to some of the townspeople,
but when put into practice
quickly caused disasters.
Shaeth kept an eye on
the situation, but he
did not interfere since
it wasn't his town or
sphere of influence.
"Mind if I hide in here
for a bit?" asked Ziff
as he came inside.
Usually he sold booze
from a cart around town,
and sometimes he sold
to the temple as well.
Today he didn't seem
interested in dragging
his wares through town.
"Any honest merchant of
libations is welcome here,"
said Shaeth. "What's
going on out there?"
"The folks in Old Forest
just found out the new tax
on outside merchants means
the tavern can't resupply as
well as it used to, and what's
left costs more," said Ziff.
"So they're all coming here
to get drunk," Trobby guessed.
"That could turn into trouble,
if they're unhappy about
the results of their choice."
"Right, and they're also
upset about felling trees
in the Old Forest itself,"
said Ziff. "They wanted
the money, then realized
that their favorite spots
were getting cut down.
So they're throwing a fit."
"Once the avalanche
has begun, it's too late
for the pebbles to vote,"
Shaeth said solemnly.
"Or run away," Prell said,
fingers picking at her lute.
"Or try to hide," said Denore,
who had just stopped sketching.
"Or really much of anything
at all," Glenta finished.
"Well, they may be stuck
with their hand-picked idiot,
but now we're stuck with
bitchy neighbors," said Ziff.
"So what should we do?"
Trobby asked Shaeth.
Distressed voices
clamored outside
of the temple doors.
"Start pouring drinks,"
Shaeth told his priest.
"That's what we're here for."
