Leap Year

When the New Year was approaching

There were planets in a line

That they said was some dark portent

Of events, long lost in time,

This position of the heavens

Brought back atavistic fears,

Though it only happened once, they said,

In just a thousand years.

 

There were comets drifting trails in the

Immensity of space,

Though the boffins said they’d pass us,

Wouldn’t harm the human race,

Still the winter storms were violent

Beating sea on every shore,

When Rob had turned to Jane and said:

‘Let’s head out, and explore!’

 

He had got them both a ticket

For a holiday in Spain,

They would dance the wild bolero,

‘And soak up the sun,’ said Jane,

Robert laughed, and said he doubted

That the sun’s rays would appear,

‘It can get quite cold in Spain, you know

At this time of the year.’

 

They arrived in time for New Year’s Eve

The streets had overflowed

With the people madly partying

And dressed in party clothes,

Robert wore a black sombrero,

Jane a Spanish Farthingale,

And she sipped on ice-cold sangria,

While he drank Spanish ale.

 

A minute before midnight

All the street lights flickered out,

There were howls of consternation

As the crowd milled round about,

Then a sudden, awful silence

Had found Rob and Jane alone,

On a dirty, muddy cart track

Lined with buildings they’d not known.

 

In the distance was the flicker

Of a line of moving lights,

While they clung close to each other

In the darkness of that night,

Men on horseback riding past them

Holding braziers up on high,

‘Those guys look like Conquistadors,’

Said Jane, ‘I wonder why?’

 

Behind them, a sedan chair carried

High a blazing cross,

With the name of ‘Torquemada’ on the front,

But raised, embossed,

And in passing they had seen the grim

And hated countenance,

Of Spain’s first Grand Inquisitor,

Who spared them both a glance.

 

‘For God’s sake,’ muttered Robert,

‘I confess, I’m at a loss,

Reminds me of the Mummers Plays

Put on at Badgers Cross.’

‘Well Jesus Christ,’ said Jane,

‘If this is fun, you’ve got me beat!’

Then soldiers seized the two of them

And dragged them through the street.

 

They heard the cry ‘heretic’ then

Repeated down the line,

The soldiers had dismounted and

Came milling round their find,

When Torquemada raised one hand,

His thumb was firmly down,

They heard him say, ‘auto-da-fé,’

It had a chilling sound.

 

An English tar that lay in chains

Looked up as they went in

To the squalid Spanish dungeon

And he said, ‘You’re caught in sin!

Confess at once, or you will burn,

At least you’ll live, in chains!’

‘We haven’t done a bloody thing,’

Said Robert then, to Jane.

 

‘You’re English! Well, they love to burn

We English in the square,

It’s little use to tell them that

You don’t think that it’s fair!’

‘Is this a New Year’s joke, said Jane,

The tar replied, ‘It’s true,

They’ll burn you in the Lord’s Great Year

Of 1482!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Valentine]

Going back in time would really be something if a person came ito a super nice place..not into one that eagerly murdered people..I know this is connected someway to history..but I am not aware of the time or happening..You are amazing as a writer and you stumped me a little on this one..you must have majored in History..love Kathie

[Enid Blake]

Yeah you scared me a little bit *gulp* - lol

[Becky C Strukamp]

Such tales amazingly composed and set to rhythm, your craftsmanship with words, beautiful!, always a joy and pleasure to read your offerings my dear friend!

[ROSALIND]

Your poetry is truly amazing a story foretold in a poem brilliant work

[David Scott]

Tis a sad fact of historical fiction.
I enjoyed the light fun tone floating above the depth of religious injustice. A time in history we would all love to seen "leaped" past.
Classy satire!
Great read for me David. Thank you once again.

[Lena M. P.]

Now there's the vacation from hell. What a spoof. Here I thought you were predicting the end of the world and instead it formed a time warp. You never cease to amuse me with all the twists and turns. Strange how you wrote this on the cusp of the cold moon. Great piece.

[Sheila Kline]

Taken back in time to the time of Torquemada, who as part of the Spanish Inquisition held the power to imprison them in the squalid Spanish dungeon, but was surely a time travel back during a Leap Year with the planets in alignment for a ghastly transport from a modern world to a year of persecution for the English!
Fabulous story telling with history woven in to make this a delightful read - though not delightful for the characters of Robert and Jane, with the poor English sailor!

[TPK Stories]

Lovely story...

[Marie]

Goodness--beforeSpain sent Columbus to find a way to the new world...something indeed must have gone wrong in that leap year..

[Siren]

I feel like there's some sort of time travel here. I like that it's not exactly clear. Very great piece, once again. Thanks for sharing.