Whistle and Pie

Whistle and Pie

by Michael Espinoza



A war was waged upon a time,
And in a rhyme we here recall;
Fast did they fall, till one fair night
When stars shone bright: two travelers
Like peddlers did plod through camp,
Through grass so damp--a darling girl
With eyes like pearl; a portly man,
Within whose hand a berry pie
To catch the eye he carried thence
And did commence to follow her.

Two soldiers, one on either side,
Now did they hide from travelers twain,
And in the main were so suspicious
Of delicious baked dessert,
So on alert were they until
Behind the hill the travelers hied,
And so decided both the men
That they would then give hot pursuit
Until the loot they had purloined,
And so they joined in purpose one.

Upon their heels they followed fast
Until at last the travelers stopped--
But never copped the suspect sweet,
So good to eat, did either man.
And now began the graybeard at
A rat-a-tat upon a door.
A minute more, then opened it--
And there did sit upon a bed,
With swarthy head, a little boy
Who smiled for joy at visitors.

The girl who was in age his peer
Now gave a cheer and with a word
Just barely heard, the graybeard told
To be so bold as give the treat
--but not to eat, the soldiers marked!
Instead they harked, as from the pie
(As blue as sky) a whistle drew
The boy who knew to play it mellow,
And the yellow sun arose,
To answer cozy melody.

The soldiers now forgot their spat.
On floor they sat, repentant of
The war--now love did reign supreme,
And face did beam on boy who played.
And now he bade them come to him
In morning dim--but what was this?
How did they miss the robes he wore?
The crown he bore upon his head?
The silken bed--nay, silken throne!--
For him alone who'd stopped the war?

As erstwhile enemies embraced,
Now friends, they faced their boyish king,
Whose whistling went on anew,
And grew and grew--and thus unseen
Upon the green the others fled.
No words they said, not little girl
With golden curl, nor man with beard
Who nothing feared, all dressed in red.
Now north they headed that bright day--
And vanished they into the sky.