valiant
restless; reckless
hands calloused and worn,
inscribed with secret encryptions
like a book of lost history

body dripping
with passion laden sweat
warm tears clinging
to shadowy lashes

"auta i lómë!"--
the night is passing
but tell me, is yours?

confused; audacious
maybe a little
more gutsy
than they're
comfortable with

don't fear the
axe--it's only separating
your fëa and your
hroa
--cleaving your
body
into
s h a t t e r e d glass
valiant limbs and shredded flesh
in an ashen pile

Námo shrugs his
indifferent shrug
"nal firin."
(you are dead.)

oh, god
...did that axe
and that sucker punch
slaughter
...did it
massacre your
passion?