A Taxing Price

She rides bareback upon the mare
The sun makes nimbus of her hair
The glow adds to her beauty fair
All loudly gasp as they take air,
There’s naught that they can do but stare

Her men walk with her as she rides
They move as one in perfect stride
Surrounding her from every side
She ignores the pleas and chides
A beauty like hers, she must hide

As word spreads, more town folk convene
To spy a sight for from routine
This woman valued as a queen
She has not vanity to preen,
Just holds her head high to be seen

With shock and awe her lord reacts
To her fair skin and hair of flax
And all the garments that she lacks
But he cannot ignore the facts
He could have stopped this in its tracks
If he’d just lowered the damned tax!


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