The High-Priestess
A prompted poem set in ancient Britannia
The High-Priestess stood proud and tall And cast her gaze upon them all Sending shivers down many a spine As each one sensed her intent to refine This bedraggled band of banished brethren Who once had all been loyally Severan
The anger rising like the morning’s mists She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists ‘Do not challenge me,’ she said ‘For I will rain fire upon your head And send to Rome a message clear: their legions are not welcome here.’
The men looked up in awe and wonder More volatile was she than their god of thunder And though the Emporor thought he had won The tribes of Britannia were far from done And the men stood there would know no glory For none would ever hear their story
She worked her magic on all captives held Every soldier of Rome she did brand and geld And those who could not withstand the pain And those who tried to rise up in vain Were put to the sword and used in a spell That would help ensure her enemy fell
The tribes revolting against their foe The High-Priestess felt it time to go For her work was done, the tribes had risen Against the empire, and in her vision She had seen she was needed now elsewhere And oh, how the cursed learnt to beware
© Melissa Speed
Severan: referring to the Roman General Septimius Severus
Although set in Britannia during real events (the rising of the northern tribes of Britannia against Roman Emporor Septimius Severus in 211 CE), this poem is a work of fiction.
Thank you Alex Kilcannon for this challenge! I’m late to offer my response, but I hope it is still welcome. I chose the challenge of writing something which included the lines She narrowed her eyes and clenched her fists. ‘Do not challenge me,’ she said.
I love writing poems in response to prompts and challenges. If you do too, then why not have a go at writing a poem or work of fiction using one of the following:
- Memories
- A retelling of a myth, offering an alternative POV or ending.
- The Dance.
You can read Alex’s challenge here:
Alex’s challenge was itself a response to a challenge, the aim of which being to encourage others. In that spirit, I invite Kevin Heads, Stephen Dalton, and Gayle Kurtzer-Meyers to take up the challenge.
