I’ve been working on this, on and off, for a very long time — at least fifteen years. The bit that clicked and finally made it work was the word “rebuilt”; it flows much better than the alternative “current”.
It’s to the tune of Hotel California, by The Eagles.
May 2019
On a dark city evening, sharp chill in the air,
Warm sounds of a party, drift from just over there.
In a hall down a side street, I saw a flickering light.
My ears were twitching and my nose as well,
I felt a strange appetite.
There they stood in the doorway.
Their clothing seemed so grand.
And I was thinking to myself,
Is that a sword in that large fellow’s hand?
By the light of a candle, there they bade me to stay.
There were voices from a foreign time,
Clearly heard them say:
Welcome to the re-built middle ages.
Such a friendly place (such a friendly place)
Out of time and space.
Plenty to do in the re-built middle ages,
From a thousand years (from a thousand years) you’ll be welcome here.
Her hair is braided and twisted, she’s dressed up to the max:
She’s got a lot of pretty pretty beads — and one big axe.
Now we dance in the feast hall, sweet music plays
All dance through the evening, into numberless days.
Once I called up the Marshal and said,
“They’re playing with… sticks?”
He said, “we haven’t thought that’s all it was since 1966.”
And still those heralds are calling from far and near
Call the names at the start of every fight
Hear the people cheer.
Welcome to the re-built middle ages.
Such a friendly place (such a friendly place)
Out of time and space.
Plenty to do in the re-built middle ages,
From a thousand years (from a thousand years) you’ll be welcome here.
Candles on the table,
The people playing dice,
And she said, “we can all pick suitable names, and our own device.”
And in the royal chambers,
We gather for a feast
We stab it with our eating knives
There’s a week’s food here at least.
Last thing I remember, I was
Pausing at the door
I didn’t want to hurry back to the life I lived before
“Relax,” said the knight man,
“We’ve got all this time to give.
“You can visit with the mundane world
But this is where you live.”