“Tales From The Land Of Belthazaire” is a collection of short stories about the people, places and events in the magical land. The entire work is written in verse in a very strong gothic style. The book is based on the central poem, “The Song Of Rondel.” 'Tales' has two sequels to complete the over-all story; “Anadel's Travels” and “Jasmine & Daphne.”

Cover art work by Ted Hayes

“Thanks for letting me have a look at this long narrative poem which is full of otherworldly creativity, balanced with the trappings of the universal quest myth.

...I liked the story very much. I particularly like the use of a bard and his music to solve the kingdom's problem with evil.”

Welwyn Wilton Katz

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Tales From the Land of Belthazaire

An enchanted place grows clear and fair,

Known as the Land of Belthazaire.

Gird on the north by the Mountains of the Moon

Where men fear to tread; wary of their doom.

Snow clad scarps scrape the sky

And catch at clouds where birds can't fly.

Brooding and dark at their core,

The Tarn of Black Water with gray slate shore

Was fashioned from a sky stone that cleaved the night

To smash and hurl granite with the cosmos might.

Poetry

• The Ort In The Sofa (21 lines)
• Happy Birthday, Jesus (20 lines)
• My Mind (30 lines)
• Alone? (24 lines)
• A Fountain (15 lines)
• To An Elevator's Button (9 lines)
• The Spider (24 lines)
• To Arms! (22 lines)
• Me, Myself And I (24 lines)
• A Nightingale (12 lines)
• A Night In The Park (15 lines)
• The Fugitive (21 lines)
• The Circle Song (19 lines)
• Unchanging Change (20 lines)
• The Tarot Reading (20 lines)
• The Other Side(5 lines)
• Complete(12 lines)

The Ort In The Sofa

excerpt from 'Erato's Basket' compilation CD/Chapbook
(ISBN 0-0688884-0-2)

It's down there, I know;
My furry snout can tell.
Something that slipped off his plate
While he ate dinner in front of the TV.
Or maybe it fell out of the wrapper
In the middle of the late show.
It's down there, I know.

Deep down in the sofa.
In the crack between the cushions.
Rolling around in the lint and the change.
Maybe a peanut or a little piece of chocolate;
Some delectable morsel, I know,
From the mouth-watering smell
Deep down in the sofa.

I can get it, I know.
I'll wait until he's gone.
I'll stick my nose deep down in the cushion.
I'll follow that delicious smell.
My tongue will reach the last inch
And, in a single gulp, I'll have my prize.
I can get it, I know.