Disclaimer: Avatar: the Last Air bender© is owned by Nickelodeon. "Carthago Delenda Est" is an intellectual property of Pessimistic Angel of Hope, based on world of Avatar. All other use of this work is prohibited by the author. Please do not repost or otherwise use without permission and credit.
Notes: This poem is something of an experiment, I wrote segments of the poem as I was watching Season Three DVDs. An observation of Zuko, Katara and why I think Zutara would be very difficult.
Carthago Delenda Est
Take no account of dreams... and Carthage must be destroyed.
M. Porcius Cato Censorius
I ask…
If, if, the dreams of this world.
Though we live to change it…
We don't dream for ourselves
In one world, the world of dreams
We would be waiting
Impatient with our happiness
Longing for tomorrow's adventure
You would have been whole
Given your rightful birthrights
You've been your own man
And I would have been whole
In a world of no wars
I could see us dance
It would been our times
In that world we could, would have…
But we don't live in dreams
You and I, we don't dream our own
Such a poisoned chalice
That we must kill dreams of fathers
In one world you could have risen
The sun king, warrior and healer
Fires of your people, healing, succoring and everlasting
Any world, every world, but this
Platitudes aside
You never rose
Marked of your sins
You compounded it
Forgiving, the burden is added
Seeing, you did injustice to your eyes
Believing in lies, you gave in
You fell, unworthy of your promise
Becoming the thing you hated?
You drank fell poison with greed
Willing to live in a lie
Seeking that which was not yours
Am I any different?
How can I look at you?
In your eyes, I see the all of my myriad sins
Temptations of knowing absolution
For that
Only one cure
To set my heart aside
The siren calls of my tainted soul.
Oh heart of mine enemy
You shalt not become my heart