----------------------------------------------------------------------------- THE TALES OF AYELSFARN (An Aethereal Menagerie) (Second Edition) Copyright 1991 by Robert Bryan Reinhardt ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Includes all original and revised poetry and prose ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Tales of Ayelsfarn; An Aetherial Managerie I (1985) The Tales of Ayelsfarn; An Aetherial Managerie II (1991) Copyright 1985, 1991 by Robert Bryan Reinhardt ISBN 0-8059-2988-6 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ .c2. Inner Rumblings I & II I World, this is your salutation; Rise to conquer once more, Quell another tiny nation, Darken the light piercing another dismal door. Where now are all your glorydreams? Think you that all is as it really seems? The patterns and rhythms of time Cause me to scatter my soul abroad And the clash of Love and Fate is such a crime That my soul is scarred with The evidence of being clawed and gnawed By the vicious circle of Fate That is spawned by your demon of Hate. World, if I could only bring to you your demise Then my purpose for life will have been met, To halt the onslaught of all your lies, As you owe your people such an awful debt! Are you as great and mighty as you seem? Or are these just shades-manifest of your sadistic dream? An end to you is all I crave So that I and my kind may finally be free. This passion I shall take to my grave For I fear you and your demons are too powerful for me. Oh, fear, just another of your simple little lies. This is easier to conquer than you may perceive. Oh, fear, through logick I insult you, you naif. Fondle what you have spawned As the babe in his mother's arms violently cries. With this blade of murder and dark deaths In my grasp I slay as easily as I bind thee To a pillar of their souls' last breaths. II The Air, far heavier and coarser than the ground. Causes every day to support the world atop the realm of space. Why then, when people rise, do they drown? I sincerely believe we all could have chosen a much better place. The Water, true vapor of our blood, Why do we forsake you for that far harsher, air? I, for one, long for another global flood: It is the only thing that I would perceive as fair. The Fire, catalyst of our souls' very casualty of flight You are the one true ruler of the night. But, with the advent of cool water, is the end of our plight And within the spacious air your embers fall out of sight. And finally, the Earth, the footstool of man's stumblings, What of you am I to desire? You, the pivot of Air, Water, and the Fire. From within your veil sound your inner rumblings And tear apart the ground. -------------------------------------------------------- / / /__,_ _ o ____ /_ __. __ /_) (_