The Wraith's Progress

Written at the request of Miss E------ B----------, a most discerning lady.

Canto I: The Ruse

"Like the dew on the mountain,

Like the foam on the river,

Like the bubble on the fountain,

Thou art gone, and forever![?"

-The Lady of the Lake

Outdated System- Shame on thee!

I will thy pow'r abuse

That though I verse or prose may write,

There is no Sci-Fi muse!

But yet (To spite this tragic fact)

In writing I'll not fail,

I am a lady of my word

And promised you a tale.

With fancy's magic pencil

I'll delineate the scene,

But (O the horror!) 'Tis the hive

Of dreaded Wraithen (1) queen!

Now 'queen''s a term I loosely use,

For though in form and plan

A dame, she shared a body with

A long-dead British man.

Lord Beckett (p'raps you may recall)

Was out for poor McKay,

'Till Ronon put a stop to that

And luck'ly saved the day.

Ah, Reader! 'Twas a strange 'duet'

As Fan-fic pairings went,

To be half evil fiend and half

An 18th century gent!

'Twas at the time of Carson's death

-If death we can discern,

For science-fiction characters

(like Christ) will oft' return.

His forebear sent condolences-

A letter edged in black,(2)

But ah, I fear it was a means

For getting Rodney back!

The Letter

Unhappy Ones! I feel thy smart,

For it afflicts his family's heart

As much as any sadness can

At losing such a righteous man!

He was his Father's pride and joy,

He was his Mother's darling boy,

And I (a far relation though)

Could not restrain my tears to flow.

O let me view his resting ground

Before by death I too am found,

For I am aged and cannot last

The winter's chill and hostile blast.

- C. Beckett

1.I use an alternate form of the word for meter's sake. See The Faerie Queene for other examples of this fairly common practice.

2.In the 18th and 19th centuries, it was customary for friends and relations of a recently deceased person to use black-trimmed stationary to indicate they were in mourning.