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Aldus was Given

Each night came long and darkened still,
But this night a storm was blowing
And the air came cold upon his hearth,
For no fire within was glowing!
His fate was set; O’ but this he knew not yet,
Though freedom had been his yearning,
For the life that he had taken weeks before
Would be with this storm returning!
 
The forewarning wind outside was howling,
But Aldus refused to hear,
Thus he knew not of the reproachful form
That unto him was approaching near!
This night had come to avenge what he had done,
As now the dark tide was turning,
For the life that he had taken weeks before
Would come this night returning!
 
“Aldus was to be given, as Aldus had gave,”
This the August wind was speaking,
For Thalia would be upon a thunderous clap
In the silence that he was keeping!
 
Death doth not forget, but this he knew not yet,
As the storm outside was churning,
For the wife he murdered weeks before
Was now, this night, returning!
 
The storm came closer; fiercer still,
Its warning whispered down the flue,
He felt its cold foreboding touch upon his face,
As from the hearth it blew.
A spirit was in the wind—he knew not yet,
As he placed a log for burning,
For the chill he felt upon this night
Was his misdeed returning!
 
A warming fire was roaring within the hearth,
As a rapping came upon his door,
And there upon this cold and stormy night,
Stood a maiden named Lenore.
O, then he gave his love unto this maid,
While the storm outside was churning,
Ah, but the life he had taken weeks before
Was upon this night returning!
 
They stood before the fire to warm their souls,
Each flicker within their eyes was dancing,
They held each other, and their toast of wine,
As the fire became entrancing.
Then the face of Thalia appeared within the flames,
As they rose upward, wildly burning,
For Aldus’ many sins of many years
Were now this night returning!
 
The flames raged higher, and then higher still,
The hearth was engulfed in madness,
As Thalia’s spirit had awakened this night
From her grim and recent sadness.
Then a fiery hand grasp Aldus’ frock
And he too began intensely burning,
For the fate that poor Thalia had come to meet
Came unto him this night returning
 
Thalia had risen from the immortal flames,
Aldus was thrashing about and burning,
Lenore ran screaming into the stormy night
That yet overhead was churning!
 
The great house was then set alight,
As the dark tide was turning,
For the life that was taken weeks before
Had come this night returning!

(2006)

The only thing that stands today of the castle house
is the hearth of the great hall, where Thalia and
the others keep, and no one dares to light a fire within.

#DeathGhosts #GothicHistory #Poetry

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