The Sassenach

Who’s up for some genre mixing? Even though he won’t be born for another forty years in our Outlander universe, I thought it might be fun to imagine how Edgar Allan Poe might document Claire’s story.

Am I crazy? Maybe. But this will be a very long Droughtlander and thus a blogger is forced to get creative. I therefore present to you Outlander Seasons 1-4 as told in the manner of The Raven.

Enjoy!

Once upon a Samhain morning, upon a hill of blooms adorning,

As my husband and the reverend researched family lore—

While I pondered, nearly picking, suddenly there came a ticking,

Of time slowly nicking, nicking at my body’s core.

‘Tis only the wind, I murmured, licking at the moor—

Only this and nothing more.

An unusual time paradox, thrust upon the Equinox,

As centuries of ghosts called me through the stony door.

So nervously I rose to leave, my danger thus I did perceive,

And for my old life I would soon grieve—

Grieving for the man I had loved before.

For the pragmatic Randall man who had loved me through the war.

Gone for evermore.

Initially I did fight and balk, resisting life within Leoch

Please, said I, my travel to Inverness I do implore.

But although they took me kicking, life soon began upticking,

Through the marriage of Dougal’s picking

To a Scotsman I adored.

My broken heart renewed to soar.

A timeless love, for evermore.

Across the choppy Channel, history we sought to dismantle,

Seeking to unravel the stories I had known before.

But the hands of fate remained steadfast,

My time here refused to last,

And in Frank’s arms I found myself once more.

My past forced to ignore,

Jamie gone for evermore.

Back in my modern life, my marriage over and full of strife,

Again arose the chance to find my love of yore.

And with my daughter’s blessing, my resistance acquiescing,

At the stones of Craigh na Dun I journeyed through once more.

Stumbling through the printshop’s door,

And Jamie fainting on the floor.

Across another ocean sailing, our enemies and ghosts assailing,

A savage hurricane flailing us upon the Georgian shore.

Into Colonial lives we stepped, under Carolina stars we slept,

While political unrest encroached upon or door.

No matter the century, the ever-present threat of war—

Unable to ignore.

But family and friends will carry, our hearts through tragedy still merry,

As love strengthens us through troubles we abhor.

And though I still sometimes miss, the sweet relief of air-conditioned kiss,

There is little in my life amiss,

As I find myself in love and faith’s encore.

An Outlander once-

But Jamie’s Sassenach for evermore.

Slàinte.

photos: STARZ