Of ancient brick and mortar and
Strong, were the walls of the keep
Till the hordes ravaged the land
And they came upon it three deep

A valiant effort was made that day
The children and the women hid
In tunnels, with water, in urns of clay
Until the time they would be bid

The men protected all as best
They could; the flocks and food stocks
Might be lost, but they couldn't rest
Into the night they heaved the rocks

Over the castle walls, onto invaders
Who were crushed, and yet more came
So unlike the sometimes raiders
Who stole a goat and left; a game

So, when they knew the walls were
Sure to fall, to the tunnels went the men
With chickens, goats, they couldn't defer
And completely closed the adits then

Alas, the walls crumbled and naught
Of import remained as spoils of war
At such a cost they had fought
Beyond the battlements, such gore

The hordes rummaged for several days
But, at last, left with nary a trinket
The people below felt no sun's rays
What's above? they shuddered to think it

By and by the reckless din quieted
The survivors slowly emerged
In what remained of fields, all blighted
For what was lost, they dirged