Gareth, the Wolf Knight

His form found fullness furred —
Fanged sharp, noble howling
Toward soured spirit, canine piercing heart;
His human poverty fouling
Up vigor of lupine urge.
Seeking desperate war,
Caught enslaved in the vice cold art —
Desiring peace, long gone.

Waged war, whipped at dawn
By broken body — that binding
Mortal cursèd frame fed fear —
And crushed soul crashed by finding
No truce; torn, but calming drawn
Out of his love for him.
That fortune defying friend who wears
The rose-wreathed shield undimmed.

That tail, fierce fur untrimmed,
Beating no doubt in song
To rhythm of heart — heart of his love!
Percussive, eternal, strong!
Paws pressed, vulpine rimmed
By arms in embrace, with visions
Unshackled of chains, challenged above;
Wandering freed from prisons.

Yet still he shoulders decisions,
Duties donned — drawn death —
The dread Fang fleshed with bodied curse;
Blots ’til his final breath.
Soldier of sorrow, derision
Of lot, long lashed to word —
Service to war-god — granted worse
Fates with form de-furred.