Hordes of henchmen huddle forth
Amassed en route to the north
Foragers aware of the soil moist
Breaking bread but not by choice
Indignant to the acts be done
By hammer falls the glassed rung
Turning eyes from damage sung
Clearing conscience of violence by hand
As hands be tied, they are but pawns
By slippered slopes the grave doth turn
Unfettered folds of serpents churn
Wriggling round the brackish beguiled
Strapped to wood amidst the minds denial
Prayers in voice unknown to most
Repeat of straps berate for cost
A penalty for their part in a war not yet lost
Blackening the skin
Drowning in sin
Catching breath as throats plagued by fire
To weathered ends, moral men bend in ire
Darkened dungeon ways ransack
With blossomed greys pinned down black
The beasts & dragons obey; attack
Solidified by stones of clay
To rest upon worms of prey
To remain unconscious of the damage spurred
Peons dream what might be should damage be incurred
For freedom liberties repeal
To bind your dears a Shangri-La that’s real
In times of piracy the wills undone
Corrupted by the forces of a blackened sun
Near a midnight bible stays
A sphere of influential waves
With uncanny knack arranging sound
Into patterns you knead to hear
No matter time, no matter fear
The weakened captive eventually releases ground
An exonerating shield
For the true nature you’ve revealed
Water-board
Crested spore
Ennui can’t wait no more
Water-board
Crested spore
Never shall the actions be report
In this game of tactical sport
To whom the answers go
Is not for you or I to know
Perhaps secrecies, as mere mortals,
Hold details we aren’t meant to learn
Perhaps privacy is an element of concern
Perhaps some things we should choose to ignore
Like the Hordes of henchmen
Huddled forth
Breaking bread
With a devil
That’s different than before
Awww ethics, still say they can't be taught. This one really had a story vibe to it, enjoyed it. Nice allusion to how the henchmen just trade one devil for another.
ReplyDeletedamn fred you sure now how to bend words...must come from kneading the hear eh? smiles.nice on the water-board...its in my poem tomorrow...oh many a men break bread with the devil you know, better than the one you dont...you know...
ReplyDeleteThe horror in this one is how many willing to just go along with terrible things to achieve an ideal. I would also say that it is easier be part of the horde. Perhaps it's easier not to question, perhaps it's safer. There's a choice as you suggest in the end, it is simply easier not to think, easier to say someone else was giving order and "I'm just doing my job". But it is difficult to judge this horde, since I'm probably part of one.
ReplyDeletePat, Ethics yeah I agree to an extent, what's engrained is there, but some things I think we should be able to teach, Glad you enjoyed the poem, trading devils unfortunately is something we do all the time, thanks again
ReplyDeleteBrian, thanks man, appreciate it. glad you liked, cant wait to check your poem about waterboarding
ReplyDeleteRavenblack, thanks for the response, I completely agree with you, In one way or another we're all part of some horde or two. Glad you enjoyed the piece, thanks again
ReplyDelete