Title art by David Joaquin. Click image to visit his studio.

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Emancipator “Lionheart”

Once upon a time, there was a little white rabbit
With a very big heart
So large that it barely fit into her chest
She was quite mad, of course, but then the best creatures usually are

Her fur was snow-white, silken soft to the touch
Howbeit, not the kind of hare to do well cooped up in a hutch
Needed to be loved a certain way unlike all others
With blessing to hop, skip and bound as blessed she would make these grounds
Should never, ever be afforded suffering

Yearned for a white knight to whisk her away
To the one sacred place where the unicorns play
Where roses bloom in open spray
Where nightmares pass and dreams can play

A place where shadows cannot constrict
A Broadway hit without screenplay
Of kings and queens, of many precious things besides
Whence seen and adored in the same way

Elusive by nature, sometimes she liked just to play the spectator
Watching, learning, while the world about her turned in slow-time
A carousel of fine romance
Where every time was showtime
Should swords be sheathed, then she would lead a grand waltz and endorse sweet tomorrows in no time

Never before, had a white-knight addressed
With the heart of a lion, black eagle on crest
Threatened were they of her fierce self-respect
Of the masculine frame within which she was dressed

This hero would not be required to repeatedly save her
But would need to be prepared to play the part of troublemaker on occasion
Herald from bloodline of Spartan persuasion
Bleed with the same unrestrained dedication to cause of uniting a fracturing nation
A rebel heart non-permitting of pause
Big cat with pretty little paws

Once upon a time, there was a white-knighted lion
With pure love within its heart
So much that it barely fit into his chest
He was quite mad, of course, but then so are white rabbits
All the best creatures usually are

So much hidden away from plain sight
Had never been permitted to play out of sight
Conditioning denied the kind of pride he yearned to activate
Petitioning against his hopes and dreams to one day transcend time and space
His face it seemed sad
Yet, his piercing blue eyes chased the sorrow away
If tomorrow was to be another day
Then he would stand with love for pride, in full embrace

Together, they could reign this kingdom fair
Together, they could be both here and there
Together, they could share a heart of crystalline reflection
Together, they would make the finest art and set fresh benchmark for expression
Need never ever be party to jealousy or rage
For the fairytale declared free-will, therefore spread across infinite page
Together, there was not a single blind leap not to take
They wed in Chapel Black, on one fine day

Once upon a time
Never, ever far away in the lush jade gardens of Atlantis
There exists a rabbitlion
As legend would have it, its reign is defiant
Of both time and space
For it transcends with dignified grace
Huddle in closely
Prick up those ears
And you may, just may, hear rabbitlion ROAR!

Richard Charles Stevens

Keeper of The Crimson Quill

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