The Difference
Author's Note: I was re-reading Robert Frost's "The Road Less Travelled" … and this came to mind about two other roads. The last line is a direct quotation from the Frost poem.
A "Chunin" is a mid-ranking ninja.
Two brothers grew up in a New York sewer;
Friends once, comrades, brothers-in-arms,
Indistinguishable to the casual viewer,
Not one superior, nor showing fewer
Signs of courage, strength, skill, charms.
--
Each brother held such influence,
Over one another and the other two;
That two pairs formed within the Clan, hence
The father's need for interference –
Singling out the boy in blue.
--
One Clan, one leader, that the rule
To which the sensei-father adheres –
So took one son to mould and school,
And make inherently uncool,
As an image of himself appears.
--
As willing wax the dutiful son
Obediently the impression takes;
But though he LEADS he can't lead one
Who rebels, fights and won't have done
And won't be what the father makes.
--
As brothers follow in his lead,
The Leader knows the bitter loss:
His other self must fight and bleed;
His closest friend won't give him heed;
His brother doesn't give a toss.
--
Watching as his other self
Is honoured by the name of "chunin";
Red felt he was upon the shelf
As jealousy – so green itself –
Bit him deep, let poison in.
--
The poisoned fangs of jealousy,
Turned all within him dark and bitter
A soul as sick as leprosy
Now made him keen to disagree
And made him nothing but a hitter.
--
Two brothers raised in a New York sewer;
Two paths laid out with best intents;
Forged a Leader with no lure,
Sparked bitterness without a cure;
And that has made all the difference.