(Pssst…In case you missed the first part, you can start from HERE)
X. A Revelation
He next awoke well-blanketed beside a dying fire,
The blackened sky above his head alive with young desire,
And, by and by, the atmosphere grew gray with dawning light
While, out at sea, a bank of clouds obscured the sun from sight.
The scarlet disk rose from the clouds, a Phoenix over hedge,
As Galen’s host stood placidly along the water’s edge.
The prophet watched the wind and waves, beheld the ocean dance,
Looked back at Galen vacantly, and spoke as in a trance.
“In visions or in midnight dreams, I’ve seen it once or twice,
A hiding place, a pool within a fortress made of ice,
A place that finds this cunning creature swimming unaware.
So rather than on open seas, you best had track it there.
“This Kraken troubles northern ports. Its tentacles spread wide,
And many unsuspecting souls are trapped within its tide,
Polluted in its oily wake before they meet their ends
In suctioned arms that scar and drown and awful beak that rends.
“There never was, as I recall, a sailing man or ship
That managed to release itself once in that slimy grip.”
The prophet fell to silent pause, his face in thoughtful frown.
“You see, you’ll need a better plan to take the monster down.
“At first, I think, you’ll wish to know what weapon I bequeath.
A ship is just a dinner bowl attacked from underneath,
A cannon much too slow to move, too heavy, and the ball,
When discharged into murky depths, scarce bothers it at all.
“Since none of newer weaponry can put your mind at rest,
Used properly in well-trained hands, a spear will function best.
You don’t know where to place the point, but presently you’ll see
The Kraken’s weakest spot discerned from its anatomy.
“The giant head is arrow-shaped and armored under skin.
The soft spot in between the eyes will let the spear blade in.
Behavior is predictable. It holds the second key.
This is a clever animal with one weak tendency.
“It uses beak and tentacles to slake its bloody thirst,
But when it moves below the ice, it always swims head first.
While tentacles still trail behind, you first will see its eyes.
At proper station on the flows, you’ll take it by surprise.
“But first we must construct a forge, then once that job is through,
You’ll fashion spears of such design as I shall give to you.
So learn, and make your weaponry. No caution can be spared.
The battle might turn suddenly, and you must be prepared.”
INSPIRATION with an ATTITUDE 