Love Poem: The Archer From Locksley
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Written by: Andrew Crisci

The Archer From Locksley

Wasn't Robin Hood born with noble blood,
what made him betray royalty?
He had a grudge against Prince John!
As a bodyguard, he was loyal 
to King Richard, but despised
the greedy and unfair Sheriff.

According to English folklore:
he was an outlaw, a skilled archer,
he became a legend in his own town. 
I doubt if any Englishman of the era,
would remember him as their own
if he hadn't been the selfless one,
taking everything from the filthy rich,
who daily engaged in a-eat-drink-binge,
he gave all back to the starving poor. 

Had he not taken their side and avenged,
the peasants would have felt anger
and fought against him and his King. 
Now, see Robin Hood in a different light:
lacking humor, grit and self-confidence,
not feeling compassion for the lowly
who cultivated farms and provided swine,
bread and wine for those royal tables.

He could have threatened them with vile words,
" Give me all your grains, vegetables and fruits;
your fowls, your chickens and pigs for my banquet! "
Load them on my wagon, don't hesitate and refuse:
my arrows don't miss targets, save your lives! "   
And with intimidation they would appease him.

But Mariam would rise from her grave protesting,
" My husband isn't a villain as you describe him,
he saved my king and my father and tried to save me
from Guy of Gisbournue! Hail to him who revenged 
many injustices in favor of the ones who trembled
at clanking swords! Hail to him who reunited England! "