T H I R T E E N

Back in the grass
Our five souls passed
Their first day of pursuit,

With little voice
Or woodland noise
To help with their commute.

But soldiers’ fire,
And times desire,
Could not the night refuse,

So making camp
Down in the damp
They settled for its use.

As food was made
The seer bade
Our lad to sit beside him,

Then waited ‘til
The others filled
Their bunks, before confiding:

“Now listen son
What has begun
Will have to be resolved,

In darkest night,
And open light,
And all will be involved.

But don’t despair,
Or dally there,
As I will keep thee strong,

And that young lass,
And soldier’s brass,
Will find your father’s throng.

“But once they’re found
We’ll stay outbound
Until we’ve breached our shores,

And parlay with
What creatures live
In lands of old folklore.

And ‘fore you ask
We can’t go back,
As that trade foreman mentioned,

Because he’s pulled
A mighty wool
Over the world’s attention.

He’s fooled them all,
Who trade and call,
He’s tricked the giants too,

And thought he’d get
Away with it
By sending me with you.

“But when revealed
Your dreams to me
I augured from your pain,

The features of
Those who would have
The most from ruin to gain.

So do your best
For this night’s rest,
And let your burdens keep,

For I am here
To counter fears,
Awake and when asleep”

And quietly
Our lad, relieved,
Lay down next to the girl,

And though he dreamt
It was exempt
Of any ravaged world.
* * * *
A morning gloom
Entered the room
Their slender camp had carved,

And deep leaf light
Subdued the site
Until, with flame, it halved.

With soldier linked
The girl’s instinct
Attained the road’s access,

Our lad beside
A second bride
In military dress.

And last, the seer,
Who pulsed and veered
In shadows from the torch,

Alighting still,
As chlorophyll,
Then blazing as if scorched.

And densely stacked
The foliage packed,
Until a clearing followed,

Thrusting them through,
And into view,
Of father tied and hollowed.

And round him strewn
The giants, whom,
On wealth he’d been relying,

With clothing stripped,
And tissue ripped,
And evidently dieing.