The White Lily: ~The Board of Bravery~

[Wu Tang Dan]

[In the basement of Houlgrave's, a wooden noticeboard has appeared next to the bar. Tacked at the top of the noticeboard is a message.]

~The Board of Bravery~

     Making art is difficult. This is something that I have repeatedly said during my lessons. Exposing your work to others is just as difficult (sometimes even more). I often wonder how many great works remain unknown to the greater Core, and thus fade into oblivion because their creators were too afraid of the public's fickle tastes, of a critic's stingy eye, or the potential for judgement from those they regard as close. Anxiety takes many great artists from us before they are even made.

     I want to confront this, so I asked Domn Cezar to make a noticeboard here in the White Lily. With his gracious assistance, we now have The Board of Bravery. Here, if you are feeling brave enough, you may submit previous assignments, poetry and prose you may have completed on your own initiative, or (as is my hope) your final project: a sonnet you have written.

     Should you wish to see something put on the board, please approach me or write to me. In either case, do present a written copy or your submission to me. At this time, I am only accepting poetry and prose, and must decline anything which may be inappropriate for the wider public's consumption or might be of offense to the local government and authorities.

     With all that in mind, I hope to see this board coated in a great many works from a great many people in time. I can think of no better way to show how far many of you have come since first attending my lessons.



-Monsieur Arsène

❀ Houlgrave's Books & Rarities, Basement Floor, Residential District, Vallaki ❀

[Wu Tang Dan]

"Where My Guardian Hides"
A Sonnet by Arsène

Author's note: The "city grey" referred to in the first line of the third stanza is a remark upon cities in general, and not upon the "Grey City" itself, as the piece refers to a personal preference for nature over urbanity.



In verdant forests, cloaked in branches green.
Through fields of wheat which sway before the breeze.
Her beauty shined though She remains unseen.
Her whispers traveled from across the seas.

By pools of flowing water, bubbling blue.
In beds of flowers, carried on their scent.
On wings of birds above her spirit flew.
A flock of faithful witnessed her ascent.

I find no peace inside this city gray,
her warmth replaced by cold machine.
Where she absconded to, I cannot say.
Her graceful beauty yet remains unseen.

From within, my heart cannot help but yearn,
to leave this place, with rightful haste return.