Rebellion
Part IV
… And days beyond
at last the lust for blood was quenched,
those caught were tried, some hanged, some drawn—
those Lords who rashly plagued
and mocked the rightful crown—;
for some the end did mean a life
abroad in foreign toil alone;
some sold as slaves and had to wait
for years afore their kin would join.
of Prince, he hitched his skirts and fled,
so bruised he was he fled with naught
but life, but that was more than some;
he failed to make his mark and died,
exiled from home, his claim now lost.
Of “Butcher” Duke, he earned this taunt
for brutal acts against the Scots
of Charles; “no quarter” ordered he
to men and “harried were the Glens”;
he failed to make his mark in war
again, but lived a better life than Charles.
the reds were told to rape at will,
the lands, the maids; they torched with fire
the lands and homes; so folk would starve
they stole the kine and stripped the wealth;
the kilt was banned by threat of death
(unless they joined the Watch abroad).
the blood of rebels spilt for cause
does stain the grass of nation torn;
the clans were broke and some did leave;
and those, ‘tis said, did win their way
to mark their life in victory
for work they did across the sea
in lands so new they had a say,
a chance unknown in lands they’d left.