The Saddest Song



Once upon a time in the land of Nod
 that's just east of Eden and west of God
 there was a drought throughout the realm,
 the king called his viziers to the helm.

 "Summon the artists from far and near,
 each singer, poet and balladeer,
 find one who can write the saddest song,
 this drought has lasted far too long."

 Thus was a masterpiece of tragedy born,
 the heartstrings of all the people torn,
 for days tears flowed o'er the countryside
 until they filled the whole river wide.

 As salty currents met thirsty ocean
 fishes tears also saturated the sad potion
 and dolorous clouds were fully seeded,
 their sadness couldn't go unheeded,
 they wept in torrents, gales and floods
 replenishing the kingdom's life bloods.

 Thus is our heroic poet's deed recorded
 as he was duly, richly rewarded
 with certificates of lifetime achievement
 for poetry of exquisite bereavement
 and every year on the first day of Spring
 the people of Nod this saddest song still sing.

 Song Bird

 I'm a quilted song bird
 looking through gilded bars,
 on a bold night
 I can see clear to the stars
 and remember
 the song we used to sing
 before a cold light
 in September clipped my wing.

 There's a heavy heart
 within this ribbed cage,
 it weighs no less
 with the coming of old age,
 soon it will find peace
 when my door is opened wide
 and kind release
 for this song I have inside.

 The End
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Submitted by haiku_artist on August 21, 2014

Modified by haiku_artist on May 04, 2021

1:15 min read
16

Quick analysis:

Scheme AABB CCDD EEFF GGHIJJ HIKKLL XMNMXLNL XOXOPFPF
Closest metre Iambic tetrameter
Characters 1,354
Words 246
Stanzas 7
Stanza Lengths 4, 4, 4, 6, 6, 8, 8

haiku artist

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