Atlantis Times, Volume 2, Number 5

From: rwallace@cs.tcd.ie (Russell Wallace)

Date: Sun, 01 Aug 1993 17:06:28 +0000

Atlantis Times, Volume 2, Number 5
			----------------------------------

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

Dark clouds loom over the land. Stormy winds bend the trees. Sometimes there
is a flash behind the horizon accompanied by a distant, rolling thunder. The
birds have stopped singing, no living thing can be seen.

Suddenly it starts raining. The wind punches the raindrops against the small
houses of Prettstern village. The sound of the church bell roams in long but
regular intervals over the land.

Zzzzzzzong! A lightning strikes into a nearby hill - What's this? A dark
person stands on top of the hill rasing his hands to the sky. Nobody would
dare to go outside in this weather. His eyes seem to glow.

I take my coat and open the door. I'm struck back by the wind. I try again and
I manage to leave my hut. I fight my way to the bottom of the hill. Other
fellows do the same as me and soon almost the whole poplation of Prettstern
has gathered below this dark person.

"YOU ARE ALL DOOOOOOOOMED!", roams from above.

Now I notice he is wearing a bear fur and is wielding a wooden staff. "Who's
this guy?" - "He must be a seer!", some people are whispering.

A seer. I've heard of these mystical men who can foresee the future though
I've never seen one in real life.

"THE EEEEND OF THE WOOOOORLD IS NEEEEEAR!", growls the seer in a deep tone.

I begin to shiver, but only partly from the cold. The story of an end of the
world is not new, but this time... The people stare stonedly uphill. Their
faces show fear and panic.

"YOU HAVE ONLY A FEW MONTHS TO LIVE BEFORE THE END OF THE WORLD!"

Suddenly there is a bright white light followed by a deafening crack. As I
turn around I see that the old oak was parted in two by a lightning. I look
back to the hill - and the seer is gone!

Nobody is able to move for seconds. The rain becomes lighter. We look at each
other. Noone can understand fully what has happened at that time. Shivering
from the cold we walk back into our houses.

Hardly anyone slept that night. I wonder what will happen to me. Will there
be a second life? Will there be the same friends as I have now? In the early
morning hours I fall asleep.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=

To the Belligerent Factions of Atlantis

I hope that the Red Moon
Crumbles to dust soon.

I hope that the Hordes
All fall on their swords.

I hope the Olympians'
Faces are pimpley ones.

I hope that the Rangers
Fall into grave dangers.

I hope that the Lizards
Have pains in their gizzards.

I hope that the Krish-Kings
Are eaten by fish-things.

They started this mess
And dragged in the rest.

-- Belwrn, ersatz bard of Lyrienlwrn,
with help from Polwnthia

P.S.  Leave us alone or we shall taunt you a second time.

P.P.S.  This poem was inspired by a poem by a non-Atlantean poet
whose name, unfortunately, escapes me.

=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
--
"To summarize the summary of the summary: people are a problem"
Russell Wallace, Trinity College, Dublin
rwallace@cs.tcd.ie