Decipher

Godgifu,
in the spelling
of her
time,
such feminine
machismo
and awe-inspiring
sublime.

Patron of the arts,
equestrienne, and
tax protester,
her marriage later
to fester.

Wife of earl of
Mercia, his name
Leofric,
rich as a golden ingot
brick,

a religious man,
a mighty Christian,
and she herself
religious,
and pestering
the earl Leofric
repetitious,

the earl Leofric
who earned his
fortune from trade in
mutton,
later be it that he
would stoop to 
tax a lady's
'button.'

Leofric and she
founded and
funded an abbey that
faced
and
graced
the rising sun,
made of waddle
and daub.

Activity in the
abbey was
Druid,
the monks caped
from floor to
hood.

A gentleman Leofric
was,
he was given respect
to manage the town's
finances
and charity
dances.

She was a polished
horsewoman, immersed
herself in the
arts,
stayed far away
from the fancy
marts,

commissioned
art portraits of
herself, she thought
inspiration
and
admiration
for simpler things.

Leofric began 
taxing everything in
sight,
causing him
and her to
fight,
even a levy on
manure.

Later on, she would
not stand clothed for
that, and having ART
placed on a back
burner,
(that vellum book,
a real page 
turner)
the English
monk confirmed
decipher.

Men have such ignoble
thoughts, never above
the waist.
The earl Leofric
had no art
taste.

She said taxes must be
reduced if this agricultural
village was to survive.

She talked to Leofric, he
laughed,
daft,
he hurt his wrist when he
fell off the bar stool, "Reduce
taxes to foster the peasants like
of silly pictures?" he thought her
mad ...
no there would be no tax
reduction ... until he sobered.

Their argument became historical
war,
she found municipal water supply
a political
bore.

Leofric began to tax pictures.
He attached a
condition,
to her
to allow some tax reduction,
never thought her to bring it to
fruition, 

He said ancient Greeks
and Romans viewed the
nude human body the
highest expression of
human Nature,
the earl Leofric said
if she believed
in the tax
crusade,
a village
parade, 
and her
love of art, then she
should lead it by riding
through the village
market place in day
light,
not
night,
and offer the villagers
her perfect nudeness.

Lady Godiva was
not ashamed of
God's work, and
she was in shape
with all the horseback
riding,
so
abiding,

nude at noon
Lady Godiva
in company of
two clothed
females, one
on each side
of Lady Godiva,
she sat straight in
the saddle,
unashamed,
confident,
and relaxed,

and the villagers'
appraisal was that
of appreciation,
beyond voyeurism.

Leofric half meant it
as a joke and records
of 1057 show there
were no taxes levied
except on
horses,
ladies like me
have no
remorses.

Lady Godiva, a
patron of the arts
and a lady who
had the guts to
follow through
with her crusade.

LADY GODIVA!

Copyright 2006 Sage Sweetwater,  firebrand lesbian novelist