Day of the Whirlwind, Knight of the Rake


While assembling the leaves of a prior year,
the faded shades abruptly resurrected,  
began to dance a frenzy
and leaping higher still
gave form to mine old enemy
a surly tower of swirling brown

Dust devil, Son of Chaos 
leave my leaves alone
else I will joust with you  
and run you through

An insolent bluster was his response
Incensed at that, I set my lance, 
the rake, and Quixote-like I charged 
I struck! 
And impaled him there
But me he swallowed and enveloped 
along with the frenzied leaves
He tried to turn me then
to twist me like the grasses
to shake me like the bushes
to dance me like the leaves
But I was too stark!
Knights of the Rake
are not as the grasses
or the bushes
or the leaves
Emboldened now, I held firmly 
And began to parry and thrust

I have you now windwhirl
you shan't steal my leaves
Be done oh windy one
For you I'll best anon

A banshee wail was his response
and the tower that was he
lurched and leaned               
spilling some of my leaves 
              
Disheartened now 
he tried to spin away from me
but with my worthy weapon
I pursued and raked him horribly                
Sorely wounded he windspered
    
Leave me be

But I would nothing of it
And thrusting again my terrible lance
I disemboweled him there
He expired, with a windper

And with his death 
so the leaves
obedient now
floated 
down
landing 
each 
in turn
at
my
feet

Smartly I reversed my weapon 
and returned to
assembling the leaves of a prior year