Is it dead, buried, a thing of the past?
What you may wonder I'm speaking of?
It's chivalry I ask!

The knights of the past valiantly laid
their lives on the line to save fair maidens
from evil and swine.
But that was in the days of Camelot,
and it seems today, instead of knights
there are canine acting men who have simply forgot.

Forgot what you may say?
Bringing a lady flowers.
Taking long walks while holding her hand.
Letting her know you're proud to be her only man.
Thinking of her on two occasions
which are night and day, and being by her side
no matter what comes your way.

Is that chivalry?
Chivalry is the greatest respect of a woman known,
giving your heart and letting true love be shown.
Taking her out on dates and offering to pay,
and always allowing her to have her fair say.

Whenever she is sad or lonely and needs someone to talk to,
a man of chivalry's kind, gentle words would comfort her,
turning her skies blue from gray,
never allowing her to be misled,
because chivalry is not dead!

Chivalry is very much alive,
just ask the balladeer Babyface,
and he'll sing a song
that will heal a heart that's been wronged by men!
Well, some men, it's best to put it this way,
because all men do not play.

Play the field, play around, play one's heart,
while letting another down.
Being a player or a smooth mack,
but men who believe in chivalry
would never slack and do that.

They'd be loyal, honest and true,
and actually mean the words
"I love you" when they say them unto you.

So you may wonder what has happened to chivalry,
true romance, admiration and honesty,
love, trust and deep respect,
is it all a thing of the past doomed because of modern neglect?
Is it gone buried in the ground,
or an item in the Lonely-Hearts club's lost and found?

Many women will search for it,
but still some will never find,
because they are blind to the men who are kind,
and would give a modern fair maiden their all.
For a man to believe in chivalry
he must be willing to take a fall,
and bruise his good heart.

But to have a good heart,
one must be willing enough to risk it being broke,
many are the times men who practiced chivalry
have been labeled a joke, because many think it's dead,
so why believe in something that will only get you misled?

It's worth the risk,
even though some women don't appreciate chivalry,
there's many who still do, and speaking for them,
their respect is long overdue.

Players have played, dogs have dogged,
and macks have macked,
but real gentlemen must stand up
and become gentle "real" men!

Chivalry is an art
which many have not practiced and forgotten,
but still it is not dead.
Amongst the masses, a few good men will take a stand,
and put chivalry back in effect,
because something so good, so honest, so kind and divine,
shouldn't be doomed to modern neglect.

But women must be worthy of chivalry
by believing in its existence, too.
How could a man give his heart unto you
if you don't believe his heart is true?

Knights in shining armor still do exist
with kind hearts, manners and actions
that would please any modern fair maiden's utmost satisfaction.

Even though one in a million,
a man of chivalry is not easy to find,
but a woman must not be blind.
Kindness shouldn't be taken for being weak,
or in these modern times an old-fashion freak.
Is it wrong to be a gentleman, to open a door, pull out a chair,
walk on the outer side and simply show one's care?

So if a man of chivalry
gives you a single red rose,
never return his kindness with bewilderment and gloom.
Imagine how long it took that single red rose to bloom.
And if he gives you a poem composed from his heart,
don't depict him as being feeble and soft,
tearing his heart with the poem apart.

To have a poem composed unto you
is the greatest gift of art,
any man can give from his own heart.

Chivalry is still very much alive,
although to practice the art,
one has to be of courage, sensitivity and bold,
because a man who believes in chivalry
deserves praise, respect and admiration,
possessing a caring heart of gold.

Knights in shining armor?
Well, maybe in these days a gentleman in nice attire,
many women still desire chivalry
because it is something to be admired and adorned,
not something forsaken and forgotten by the lovelorn.
We must all strive to keep chivalry
abundant, appreciated and alive!

© 1994

my poetry page