Golden Soldier

chains and walls
blood and gall
nicked and bruised
fall, re-fall

gouges in wrists
last kiss - last kiss -
stab the heart one more time
I grist

truth-teller of voices
seer of the heart
holes in all choices
meet only to part

heavy pack, endless miles
false smiles and guile
once or twice I cruised
coasting the chill

of all things I touched
and missed, and missed
the road ever rough
misplaced

maps enough for vision
but no through road
endless diversions
corroded, eroded

gun in hand -
I preferred not to use -
dunes and sand
colluded the solitude

foiled progress forward
and no turning back
water from source to source
gave thirst and lack

at each crossed way
the speaker pointed
to a road down alley
said:  be brave -

golden soldiers always should
have trouble in these parts
lullay, lullay, child
dying is an art

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