Love Poem: Three Horseback Riders
Su Ben Avatar
Written by: Su Ben

Three Horseback Riders

It was just before sunset in an early spring. Three horseback riders, 
by chance, came together in the field by the wood and were having conversation. They were a lady and two gentlemen, well dressed, in horse riding outfits.

“How are you Ophelia?” The man in black coat greeted the lady robed in violet, with an unenthusiastic look. “We haven’t see each other for a while, have we?”

“Oh, your highness,” she replied in delight with the pleasant smile.  
“It wasn’t me, but you were always avoiding me for some reason.”  

Ophelia turned her face toward the other gentleman who was in red coat at her left. “Isn’t that true, My Lord?”

“When death dominates us, let it dominate us to sharpen the dagger; and when we resuscitate, hide our sharpened blade behind us to stab the foe in his heart.” The gentleman in red coat answered bluntly.

“I don’t quite understand. What do you mean, my Lord?” She asked with puzzled face.

”Never mind!” The gentleman in black coat shouted annoyingly. “For my cursed dagger’s sake, we must go back to the castle at once. Come, my dear friend Horatio.”

“Yes; my Lord Hamlet,” he drew reins to turn his horse to where 
the Hamlet’s horse was, while explaining to Ophelia. “The ‘death dominates’ mean that a situation is in dilemma. The situation that of kill or to die.”

Even long after tow horseback riders ride away from the scene and 
sun started to sink from behind the hilltop, Ophelia stood there on horseback and kept uttering. “When death dominates us, love may hate love itself, rather than love trust the love, the maiden pure heart.”



Note: A short story fabricated after appreciation of the picture of three elegantly dressed horseback riders in sunset field, using three main characters from Hamlet.