The Giant
I saw a giant’s face today amongst the trees,
Deep-shadowed, opposite my house. Only his huge,
Brown head was visible, his trunk and limbs concealed
Beneath a covering of soil and tangled roots.
That head was tilted to one side, as though he strained
To burst free from the binding earth and ligatures
His wide mouth gaped, his black eyes bulged with stress. He seemed
To shout at me, with booming breath:
” If you release
Me from this prison, I will give to you rare fame
And honour from my secret mountain store!”.
And so
I wrote a magic spell to liberate his strength
From moulded manacles, restrictive bonds that had
Imprisoned him for years beyond human recall; now wait
The promised favours, my reward, from his most rich estate!.
