Rubbery Fiends: Alien Invasion Of Medieval England

The Assault

The Plea: "Lord have mercy on us, Though we have sinned: Rid our blessed England of aliens.

“Cleanse us of these demons, These rubbery fiends, Who fell in dewdrop-orbs onto England’s green.” “It sounded like the thunder Of heaven’s hoofs When the glassy bubbles dropped upon our roofs. “We are unworthy of your grace, Merciful God, But the fiends stain our gardens and taint our ponds. “Glorious One, bless our throngs Now on the field Hauling trebuchets and donning armor and shield. “If our catapults and bows Do not prevail, Then send an angel troop in misty mail.”

The Narration begins: We fashioned pleading prayers To sing on Sundays In place of the sacred Mass Ordinary. The pagan sprites and elves Leant us aid, For the invaders impinged upon their berry-shade. A fairy troop descended In a swarm And poked the bubbles sitting in their lawn. Then they trapped some fiends in a fort And laid siege With a glittering cavalry on damselfly steeds.

The Second Plea:

“Drop, Angels, in spark showers, From heaven’s flame And seek the fiends in forests, swamps and caves! “Then slap them into space With a bluster, Past Saturn’s bands and onto distant clusters.”

The Angels Arrive:

A shower of raindrop-orbs Fell from a cloud, Then sparks from heaven’s fire came streaking down. The sparks turned into cherubs; Fiends manned the orbsThey brawled with each other like a snowstorm. They fought for days but neither Gained the edge, While routed cherubs hid in shrub and sedge.

The Final Plea: “Lord, grant us salvation

From this orb-drop plague That falls from stars we once considered chaste. “Lead us to the Holy Wedge We sorely seek To arm a knight who is pious, kind and meek. “A knight who swears fealty To Holy MaryOne’s whose face is as pure as dew and dairy.”

The Knight:

Angels roamed the woodlands And searched the hills, While monks rummaged through abbeys and cathedrals. A thousand footmen attacked A town-sized orb That rested like an egg upon the shore, That gleamed and floated Up into the air, Leaving the shore as flat as matted hair. It slowly progressed over Sod and turf Then rested above a quiet manor church. The villagers could see within The huge bubble Where countless almond eyes were idly puddled, When deep in the chapel’s cellar, A solemn priest Wiped the dust off of a rusty chest. He lifted the lid and found The Holy Wedge That would make the supple demons weep and beg. With a thousand-eyed sphere Just overhead, No abbot, priest or farmer could be sent. A faithful sparrow aimed Toward the knight Would relay that the Wedge was burning bright. It flitted past hills And battle scenes, Between pale elves and leaden fiends. And spotted the knight dozing In the corn-

He was fatally hurt, but would return. He came galloping in Behind the sparrow As peasants barbed the glassy globe with arrows.

Praise:

“Fair Warrior, your glory Makes this sphere Shed dewdrops as if it’s shedding tears.”

Conclusion:

He took the Wedge and climbed The chapel spire To slash the lucent orb with saintly fire. His stroke knocked the orb Into heaven As if it was ejected from a cannon. Then frightened fiends in every Field and town Flew up like bubbles rising in a pond. Thus, the menace was expelled Back into space, And Glorious Heaven saved our gentle race.

Paul Roe