Gargoyles

[Hawkman]

For hillwaker, with thanks, inspired by his comment on "Dark Hall".

Gargoyles

At night, when the stars are all shrouded
by clouds which leak rain on the ground,
the gargoyles desert all their perches
and on one church roof gather round.

They take up their places on wall tops
and squat with malignant intent,
then channelling rain from the rooftop,
regurgitate runoff, unpent.

As they vomit forth streams of cold water
on unwary folk down below,
in gurgling voices they mutter
and strain all the bugs from the flow.

They come from the time before gutters,
with drainpipes completely unknown,
and these modern fads just annoy them;
their purpose, it seems, is out grown.

So under the cover of darkness
they plot to recover their role,
they’ll rip down the gutters and drainpipes
and reclaim the job that they stole.

[hillwalker]

A wonderful piece, Hawk. It never ceases to amaze me where you find your inspiration. And the final stanza, gargoyles reclaiming their rightful role in society, brilliant.

H

PS - I'm honoured by the mention btw

[Hawkman]

You're more than welcome, you deserve it :D

Best, H

[Jerrybaldy]

All drainpipes to be replaced by their Gargoyle prescindents. Sign me up Hawk.
Jerry

[Hawkman]

As a drainpipe or a gargoyle?

H

[Jerrybaldy]

A gargoyle of course

[Hawkman]

See you on Westminster Abbey roof at midnight. (bring your own dead pigeon and we'll feed the 5,000!)

Best, H

PS, leave the roof leads alone :D

[Jerrybaldy]

yea. Like the roof leads are gonna be still there by the time I arrive.
btw we are late. lets fly.

[Hawkman]

I meant tomorrow midnight, old chum, don't break anything in the rush!

[Jerrybaldy]

flapping all over the house here, have flown into the french doors twice, bloody nosed and now you tell me its tomorrow.

[Hawkman]

Well if you walk and take it steady you could be in Reading by Saturday. but if you really want to fly, can I suggest you open the door before you try to fly through it.

[Jerrybaldy]

Sound advice of the type I have come to expect. Tell my bloody beak that (yes its a beak now, I am in full character).
Chirp.

[Hawkman]

You could always flag down a passing Troll to give you a lift. Welsh ones are very obliging, or so I'm told.

[lallison]

It's a fun read hawk. It reminds me of reading harry potter: gargoyles come to life, taking on the duties of the drain, J.K. Rawlings couldn't have written it better. nice piece of insight.

[PrinceMyshkin]

As always, the meter and rhyme seem effortless - and elegant, and the story, as is often the case with you, is chilling.

[Hawkman]

I feel privileged to live in a place where there is a great abundance of very old, gothic buildings densely populated by gargoyles. True, the old churches and manor houses are a little weathered these days, with the faces of the stone beasties somewhat pitted, if not completely erased, by time, but the masons replace them on the important buildings every so often. Sometimes they have old, rusty pipes protuding from their mouths to concentrate the flow of water and throw it further off. It makes them look as though they are chewing cigar stubs, like Hollywood action heros in war films.

So thanks to you both, lall and Prince, for appreciating my little homage to the humble gargoyle :D

May they always populate our churches and cathedrals.

Live long and prosper, H

[Bar22do]

Your imagination matches your talent, Hawk and they both whirl on the lofty roofs of Art! humbly yours - Bar

[Hawkman]

Thanks Bar, your generosity of spirit never fails to refresh. I had my doubts about this one to be honest. I thought it a little weak so thanks for liking it. H

[dafydd manton]

You could always flag down a passing Troll to give you a lift. Welsh ones are very obliging, or so I'm told.

Ahem!