AN: Interesting factoid about me you probably didn't know about. While writing and medicine have been pretty much what consumed my life, I only truly wrote after I started writing poetry (which was what now? Eight years or so ago?).
Two years ago, during Zutara Week (it was a pretty clichéd prompt. Many, many participants went the love route) 'Unrequited' came up as the day five theme.
Being the contrary odd duck that I am, I chose to use a different version of the word unrequited. The unrequited I used was 'an unrequited wrong'. And I wound up loving what I did with it.
Many of you know Katara's backstory and her grudge against the Fire Nation - and the Southern Raiders in general. And many of you know what her actions were at the end of the Southern Raiders episode. So I thought, (other than what Aang did to Ozai - which most of us can agree was rather stupid) what wrong is more unrequited than Katara having the opportunity to avenge her mother, but choosing to walk away (And Zuko's role in that whole adventure)?
And that, is what this little villanelle is based on.
Of Grudges and Closure
The things she sees at night abed,
Could curdle your bones, clot your blood;
It comes down to a mitten in snow stained red.
She buries it deep inside her head,
No one can know. Smile. SMILE.
The things she sees at night abed.
It weighs her soul like attached lead,
She won't show it. She – it's all his fault anyway!
It comes down to a mitten in snow stained red.
It's all in the things left unsaid,
How he helps out, lifts her burden, but no matter, it won't ease
the things she sees at night abed.
Then he takes her aside, a chance to strike him dead.
There are protests all around (except from him) – no she can't forgive, some things are beyond that.
It comes down to a mitten in snow stained red.
The rains stops. Daggers point. And then onwards does she tread.
She hugs him in forgiveness. That night there's no more to dread.
Gone are the things she saw at night abed.
That came down to a mitten in snow stained red.
AN: This was crossposted from deviantart.