Grey Lady: A Poem to Hel

The Grey Lady came to the hospital room,
    the grown ones feared, unseeing.
The green-eyed boy stared full upon,
    The Grey Lady as she fed.

Where flesh and pain chained an old man down,
    the Grey Lady's touch brought peace.
When her cold fist closed on his beating heart
    and laughed as she gave release.

Her flesh was white as the new fallen snow,
    Her eyes were the black of Hel
Beauty and terror both cojoined
    Trapped him in her dread spell.

Year upon year he searched for her
    She found him upon the field
When two men met with blades unsheathed
    twas the other, that time to yield

Grey eyes flashing hunger cold
    Green eyes burn with rage
Not today, was the message in her smile
    Not today said his wine-dark steel

Year upon year til they met again
    As he fought with his every will
To wrest from the Grey Lady's icy hand
    A heart that was beating still

She laughed as she touched it, fragile flame
She laghed as he fought and cursed;
She left it still flickering in his grasp
But she whispered she would return

Year upon year they weighed him down
    Year upon year she stalked
Came once again to the hospital room
    As the green eyes looked to the end

The Grey Lady's smile with the kindness of steel
    Black eyes with the pity of Hel;
met green eyes blazing with mad Odin's rage
    and the merciless grin of a wolf

She struck in a flash, straight through his flesh
    She struck for his soul, for his life
Freed but not slain he rose from his flesh
    'gainst the Grey Lady to test his might

Down she struck, like the comming of Night
    and up he soared, like the Dawn
Black eyes flashing with the hunger of Hel
    Green eyes shining with rage

Flame struck, the Grey Lady screams out her rage
    Ice pierced, he screams out his pain
Blow upon blow, ever swifter they strike
    Green eyes and Black locked in strife

Moving like dancers, like lovers, like one
    till the final blow shocked them both still;
She froze in the moment of victory so sweet
    shocked that perfection must end

With his last breath he pulled her against his red wound
    with his last beat, kissed her cold lips
I have loved you since ever I saw you, sweet Hel
    Of all of my lovers, the best.

The Grey Lady kneels down beside the cold bed
    and the corpse of her lover, her foe
Screaming her rage to the pityless night
    the Grey Lady ever alone.

By John Mainer