The Ballad of Sancho Panza

Oh he’s mad no question.
I see those are windmills,
too big to fall
to such an elderly arm.

Yet again, I wonder
why I am out here,
instead of in my quiet hovel.

I could seek other employ.
But my beard and bottom remind me
of the time I left
the Lord of La Mancha’s side.

The Duke and Duchess
may not be serious
about letting me rule,
but at least they were fair
and I knew when to expect my beatings.

Things always fall in order
when one knows one’s place.
There’s comfort in routine.
Still I’d rather give honest madness a chance.

The windmills have thrown up
a small gale, knocking his helm off.
Wild-haired and wide-eyed,
he calls for his lance.
I do not hesitate.
“Sí Don Quixote, here it is.”

The Lord of La Mancha
charges into the fray.
For a moment,
I thought I saw the windmills tremble.



Song Choice: I, Don Quixote 

This song is part of Imaginary Gardens With Real Toad's Tuesday Platform

28 comments:

  1. LOVE these lines --

    "Still I’d rather give honest madness a chance"

    "For a moment,
    I thought I saw the windmills tremble."

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    1. Those were the lines I wrote first actually :) And yes, I'd say they're the most important part of the piece.

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  2. With you all the way here, Rommy. You know it's a crazy world when fighting evil(even when disguised as an innocent windmill) is considered insane.

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    1. I hoped you'd see this one. I've had a very busy week carrying lances. Tiring too, with all the other things I need to get done. But I hold out hope for a good outcome.

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  3. There’s comfort in routine.
    Still I’d rather give honest madness a chance.

    Such profound verse :D

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  4. I'd rather give madness a chance reminds me of a famous Bukowski line- I loved the hope against hope in every line here.

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    1. Thank you. Above everything, I wanted the hope to come through.

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  5. I love and adore this! For lots of reasons, and the conclusion most of all.

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    1. Thanks! The end makes me smile a bit too. :)

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  6. This is delicious, Rommy.

    "... honest madness" will always make "windmills tremble" to the core. There is nothing more dangerous than an honest mad man supported by a trusted sane companion.

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    1. It's one of the few things that can change the world. :)

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  7. Wonderful words, as always.

    Happy birthday, Rommy ♥

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  8. Oh so poignant....the sadness of one watching fading glory that doesn't know it is fading XXX

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    1. Yes, there's sadness. But I'd like to think for Sancho's case there's a little bit of pride too, giving into mad idealism, just for the chance to see those windmills shudder a bit.

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  9. So timely.. given also that Cervantes died 400 years ago... the allegory of the fight in vain... (imagine what difference a pair of glasses would have made)

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    1. LOL - very true! Though glasses alone might not have dampened Don Quixote's enthusiasm. He might have just switched targets. :D

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  10. So love the carefree spirit in this piece. And those last lines are a winning finale.

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    1. I really like the way the last lines ended up too. :)

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  11. I love a tale told from the side-kick's point of view.

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  12. Yes, we don't get to hear it from Sancho Panza's viewpoint.Thanks for the insight. :)

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    1. Right, and considering he's always described as such an practical minded person, I really had fun exploring what would make him stick with Don Quixote.

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