hold the bridge

hold the bridge
while the world goes mad and the rabble
scrabble like one eyed dogs for the last bone
baying and praying to perversions of the Almighty,
killing in the name of peace,
cursing in the name of redemption

hold the bridge
with the poets and the minstrels and the ronin
who would rather die an honorable death than live
a lie forced upon them by misguided honour
lovers who love and dreamers who dream
until the steam rises from their pyres at dawn

hold the bridge
just long enough to let those of couer rage
of the second water but fire nonetheless
burn and hack away the cords that ford hope
and fall away to seal the base cowards
of snide pride and fell principles

hold the bridge
it is not enough to avoid evil you must also resist it
with every breath in mortal form and shadow cast
into the coming days to inspire those who seek
legends and mythologies in the mystery of history
where there are those who dared to, who cared to

hold the bridge


William F. DeVault. all rights reserved.

from the forthcoming book "RONIN IN THE TEMPLE OF APHRODITE"
available December 14, 2006