Rising above the clouds, the castle sits above its domain.
White stones with battlements and a drawbridge remain.
Once home to a wise and powerful King,
now legends are the only thing left of him to sing.
The gentle King has been dead for centuries now.
Only echoes of his life surround me somehow.
Hollow footsteps follow me around and throughout.
Ghostly whispers surround me…of this I have no doubt.
In the stable yards, I hear spectral horses stamp and paw.
The sights and sounds of this haunted place fill me with awe.
I look at bedchambers, once so fine and so grand.
I think of the lovely ladies and gallant knights hand in hand.
I can almost see the royal pages hurrying to perform some service for their King,
while messengers fly in on horses with missives they've been ordered to bring.
While these pleasant surroundings fill me with such nostalgia for times of old.
I have to admit, the reality wasn’t something so great as we have been told.
Lumpy beds, no running hot water or cold are the first things to mention.
Don’t get me going on the odds of getting killed by disease or hypertension.
Did you ever hear about the nasty food they had to eat?
Just think of the lack of toilets…and the stuff under your feet!
Walking on rushes where dogs did their own kind of thing.
If you dwell on it…no wonder they kissed the King’s ring…
It was better than kissing anything else he would have them do.
Just the smell alone would give you the shudders for a day or two!
But, still, it is beautiful and peaceful being here.
I think I could handle a pint or two of some beer….
brought to me by a servant of his Royal Majesty, the King.
Just imagine what kind of money a picture of that would bring!