Letter II To a ‘hand gonne’ (first known handgun), from a double handed broad sword -
London 1450 - 1490 ?

To hys worchepful master be thys delyvered in hayst

Black lamb, black bleat, thunder of the bullocks foete!
You are borne makeless ynd makeless you growe.
Cease you never now you are comme.
Cease you ever, No.

I am callyd Great Swerd, Great Swerd.
I Flourysh. I smyte. I stryke downryght
with a dragonys tayle. Double rownde
ynd double rownde then I stroke home.

Gaynward the sunne climeth ynd longe nightes
coureges dark, I sett my poynte
sofftley before you on the grownde.
I stoppe the morne you are comme.

White horse, wyde chase, melodye of the moony fayse!
I singe smalle werds fore you comme slowe.
But stoppe you never now you are comme
ynd I, Great Swerd, Great Swerd am go.

© Brendan Constantine, all rights reserved. This poem can be found in Letters To Guns. (2009 Red Hen Press)

Brendan Constantine is a Southern California poet and champion for the literary arts. He teaches at the Winward School and is well known for his workshops at Venice's Beyond Baroque. He performs his work across the United States.(more)