POETRY
‘The Pardoner’s Tale’
It is a ‘job’ to do. A Pardoner, me.
A doer of deals between God and Man.
An intercessor for those with the means
To pay, to squeeze between the rungs
Of Heaven’s Gate. Never too late to pay
The price for a lifetime of bad ways.
But I advise it’s best to do the deal
When you’ve still have breath to say
‘Mea culpa’ and mumble a sad ‘Amen’
By the candlelight of a traveller’s Inn
I tell tales and pilgrims’ ears prick up.
Fair Canterbury is not so far off now
But who knows if there’s mercy enough
To go round all of the broken souls
Who arrive there on pious bleeding knees
To beg forgiveness of a busy God?
Better, by far, to do a deal with me.
A Papal policy to protect against eternal flames.
How can I guarantee the veracity
Of my rolled parchment promises
Of life eternal? Look into my eyes
And please, tell me, what you see?
An honest man, concerned with truth
Helping fellow souls through Purgatory?
Or a mendicant, just begging for a living?
Your choice to make. Down to the last few
A final chance to live, or die, for evermore.
Roger Stennett
UK
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