Deny, Deny! Poem by David Lewis Paget

Deny, Deny!



He met her under the willow trees
That grew by the valley creek,
He hadn't been able to visit her
For the best part of a week,
She patted her horse's neck, and sighed,
And waited for him to say,
The one thing that she feared the most,
That he might be going away.

But in his eyes there was only love
As he reached, and kissed her hand,
‘We mustn't be seen down here by him,
I need you to understand,
He rides abroad since he found us out,
And says he's looking for me,
His stablemaster has said, no doubt,
I'll hang from the nearest tree.'

‘He wouldn't dare, ' said Jennifer Moss,
‘My father would have him lashed,
He's always been too quick with his fists
He killed a man in the past.'
‘But never paid the ultimate price,
He thinks he's above the law,
I'm keeping my flintlock pistol primed,
My powder dry by the door.'

‘He hasn't said anything yet to me,
So how do you think he knows? '
‘Your stablemaster has seen us kiss
By the barn where the river flows.
Beware, my love, he's a dangerous man,
Will settle his score with me,
But then, with you, he will seek revenge
Denial may set you free.'

‘You must deny that you care for me,
Deny that our lips have met,
Deny, deny is the only course
That may make the fool forget.'
‘My heart is bursting with love for you,
I couldn't deny what's true, '
‘You must, my love, or the scene is set,
I fear what he'll do to you.'

He rode away to his hilltop farm
And he locked and barred each door,
While she rode off to the Manor House
Where her husband paced the floor.
‘I fear my wife is a Jezebel,
So the stablemaster tells.'
‘I have no interest in men, ' she said,
I'm married to one from Hell! '

He turned on her in a rage at that,
He believed his master spy,
While she continued to hear the words
Of her love, ‘Deny, Deny! '
‘I'll spare his life if you tell the truth,
If you don't, the man is dead, '
She weakened then and admitted it,
She once had been in his bed.

He sent his louts to the Hilltop farm
And they dragged him out in dread,
They tied him to the back of his horse
To the Manor House, they led.
The husband leered when he saw him there,
‘Well, your love has you redeemed!
I'll let you live in your bleak despair…'
His love was hung from a beam!

11 November 2014

Tuesday, November 11, 2014
Topic(s) of this poem: horror
COMMENTS OF THE POEM
Douglas Scotney 23 May 2016

master of tension as usual, David

2 0 Reply
Kelly Kurt 23 May 2016

Any entertaining tale in impeccable rhyme. Congrats on poem of the day, David

1 1 Reply
B.m. Biswas 23 May 2016

I don't deny that it is a love saga under the willow tree.....wll and nicely narrated...thanks

1 0 Reply
Subhas Chandra Chakra 23 May 2016

‘You must deny that you care for me, Deny that our lips have met, Deny, deny is the only course That may make the fool forget.' ‘My heart is bursting with love for you, I couldn't deny what's true, ' ‘You must, my love, or the scene is set, I fear what he'll do to you.' Marvellous poem Sir. Great poem from a great poet. Thanks for sharing it.10 for it. Subhas

1 0 Reply
Edward Kofi Louis 23 May 2016

Horror! ! He killed a man in the past. Thanks for sharing this poem with us.

1 0 Reply
Kumarmani Mahakul 15 August 2019

Willow trees grew by the valley creek were very amazing and he with the vision of love met her under these. The horror was explained when there was essence of deny. There was deny of telling the truth and love was hung from a beam. This poem has emotion and sorrow. You have excellently penned this poem...10

0 0 Reply
Jayne Doe 23 May 2016

I enjoyed this poem surprisingly more than I thought I would. I usually find story poems somewhat long and boring, but this one had me enthralled, and although I was surprised by the ending, I quite liked it. Thank you for sharing it.

1 0 Reply
Jayne Doe 23 May 2016

I quite like this poem. The story kept me reading and I was a little surprised by the ending, although I like it a lot. Thank you for reminding me story poems can be delightful.

1 0 Reply
Susan Williams 23 May 2016

I have always enjoyed your stories in verse, David, even when I shudder or cry. You are the master of the form without a doubt.

1 0 Reply
* Sunprincess * 23 May 2016

....thrilling from beginning to end....the moral of the story is married people shouldn't be fooling around and breaking their promise until death do we part...congratulations on member poem, I loved it ★

1 1 Reply
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David Lewis Paget

David Lewis Paget

Nottingham, England/live in Australia
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