The red bricks of the city
Reflect the Summer heat.
His hands are hot and gritty.
The paved street burns his feet.
The Knight was lost last night,
The city found him blind.
A faded Knight, not white
No charger, no partner kind.
Sweat pours as sun bakes
His weary, thoughtless mind.
He ponders what it would take
To leave pain and heat behind.
Below him the smoldering ground
Tries to pull him to his knees.
Will this tarnished Knight be found
By Death and her black steed?
Hot stagnant air is stirred
By the Red Knight’s horse’s roar.
His eyes by grateful tears are blurred
Red Knight saves White once more.
Wonderful poem. You don’t have to answer if it’s being too nosy, but I can almost hear this being sung like a filk song, do you write/sing?
Thank you, but sadly, no. I would love it if a poem of mine could be set to music. I am a History/Antique geek and sometimes channel an 19th century starving poet writing in a garret. I’ve got the finger-less gloves and quill pen to prove it. But above all I’m an original fangirl.
wonderful imagery. I can feel the desperation as the he struggles with his desperation the ‘cavalry’ arrives just in time. And I love the idea of combining the rescuing knight and his trusty charger to be Red.
Thanks! I love the idea of Hutch as a White Knight. And Starsky in a red tunic on a white charger. I can see them as Knights of the Round Table fighting for right.
Starsk, I am so so proud of you! You are so brave, my heart is quishing! -H
I’m glad I made your Heart quish. Hope it didn’t lead to eye leakage. You know I love ya, Hutch. (No but… just love ya!)
Great imagery! I can really see and feel the heat and fear and desperation and then, finally, the relief. “eyes behind grateful tears…” Wow! That just gets to me.
Thanks! I had Hutch’s baby blues for inspiration.
I love poetry. This set such a strong image of desperation. I see poor Hutch in the alley, totally defeated. Even strung out he had to feel like Starsky was that “red knight.” The only person he would have wanted there. Thats the scene i think of, anyway. ☺ Very nice descriptions!
I was thinking of ‘The Fix’, when Starsky pulls up. But also the alley behind Huggy’s. I love that alley. Nice mix of safety and danger depending on which side you are on. I love the back door with The Pits written on it and almost all worn off. And it has great brick work too. Great alley. When I wrote the poem I changed some of the words so that the alley would be timeless. (Ummm… well, that was a total geek out, sorry about that.)
Thank you for sharing this poem. Hutch’s desperation really rings through the verse and I especially enjoyed the last line.
Many Thanks. There is no White Knight without The Red Knight. There is no Hutch without Starsky.
So beautiful, M! You’ve painted, Hutch’s incrustation and sadness- and hopelessness so beautifully. And the Red Knight will always be there for him, just as he is there for Red! Beautiful!
Always a pleasure to hear your thoughts. I’m so glad you liked it!
We all know that horses don’t “roar.” But we also know that our Red Knight’s ‘horse’ does, indeed, roar. I’m not a poet but I admire and appreciate the finesse it can take to choose exactly the right word in exactly the right place. In five brief stanzas, you’ve done it. I can’t think of anything to add to the deserved praises, above, except, thank you.
Thank you for your kind words. Horses don’t roar, but Torinos sure do. I did hesitate to write ‘roar’, but I kind of liked switching back and forth in time, like S&H are timeless Knights still idealistic, might for right, tilting at windmills. (also roar rhymes with more…so much for deep insight.)
A beautiful poem! I love the idea of the two of them as knights. And Starsky does look fabulous in red 🙂
Hey! Mizelle! Welcome! Welcome! Welcome!
Only thing I like better than a Hutch White Knight is a Hutch Viking. This is what I think of when my Husband talks to me about light bulbs!
I had to grin when you mentioned Hutch as a viking. Have you seen this cover art by Suzan Lovett for the zine Timeless?
http://fanlore.org/wiki/Timeless_%28Starsky_and_Hutch_zine%29
The man of my dreams! What beautiful artwork. Is there a story called Timeless? Is it still available? Does it have Vikings?
Timeless a zine (with multiple stories), published by Flamingo, but no, there was never actually a story with Hutch as a viking that I know of.
There is an illustrated zine called scales of justice that has modern hutch being pulled into the past as a Viking. Not on line yet. Working on it.
It’s not that easy to capture me with a poem, though I admire authors for their writings.
Your’s had me immediately – it’s written beautifully!!!
;D
Thank you! That is a great compliment!
Well done. You packed a lot of punch in a short piece. Thanks!
Thank you! You guys are so supportive.
I’ll admit I don’t know much about poetry, but this is quite lovely.
Thank you so much. I was glad to contribute to such a awesome community.
Yeah, The Fix, that awful bubonic plague one, The Plauge and so many more.
Whoa. I read every word – 2x.
Yeah! I wonder who saved who more times? I think it’s about even and…Thanks!
Brava brava! Love it!
(Deep Bow) I am honoured.
Nice job, love the line “By the Red Knight’s horse’s roar. Thank you!
What a beautiful poem. Loved the whole concept of a Red Knight to complement the White Knight. The last two lines are just perfect.
White Knight, faded and lost…. Palpable despair, and then the Red Knight arrives 🙂 skillfully done, MV, thank you.
Wow. I’m not usually a poem person, but that got me right where it counts. Love the idea of them as knights. Can see Hutch feeling this way in the alley. Love The Fix, one of my favourite go to eppys. Thank you.