The Three Musketeers and Twenty Years After

The Three Musketeers

A country boy has come to town to join
the Musketeers and make himself a name,
perhaps a fortune, in what better coin
than love on one hand, on the other fame?
He'll find them both, and greater treasures yet:
three friends endowed with cunning, strength and heart.
His Eminence, who'd like to own the set
for once admits the failure of his art--
he can't obtain their loyalty for gold
or any other price he has to pay.
The Musketeers go on their merry way
while round them, lethal politics unfold.
Milady's plot will kill the gallant Duke...
six hundred pages later in this book.


Twenty Years After

In merry England, civil war's afoot
and barricades on Paris boulevards
are lined with citizens, both resolute
and brave. Rebellion's in the cards.
It's on this stage of civil insurrection
that our four heroes choose to reappear--
a night escape, pursuit and misdirection,
the flash of swords! D'Artagnan's career,
the peace of Athos, Porthos' country life,
and Aramis' ambitions separate
these hearts that once were one. A kindly Fate
decrees these four should gather. One last quest
reveals in former comrades all the best
of a man's features, brought to light by strife.

The Musketeer Sonnets are now complete. Over 3000 pages (Oxford World Classic edition), reduced to 70 lines of iambic pentameter.

I dunno. It loses a fair amount.

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