The Saddle & The Grave

THE SADDLE & THE GRAVE

The wasted time and grotty inards
I hear nothing but the wails and moans of my arteries
They will not heal
I wish them less

Carry on, they cry, but I warn of rocks and deep falls
Wonders are not to be found, so retire
They are not willing
My ailments crack at medicine and my smile is so short

The heavens are a sturdy breed
Cloud is strong against them
I know the blisters are aching and my skin pale
Our eyes locked in a tearful battle

Ready yourself for suffering
The winter is here
Do not move close to the edge as slips carry us to other lands
Those that are timeless but without destiny

Trials are so brief
Do you know where the water carries?
The splashing is distant and the horizon flat
My ailments call for mercy, they are fiends

The vulture lands on my perch
The canteen is dry and brittle
A beak is under my coat and nuzzles the meat
Or what is left

Will the water carry us?
The lame sink and leave us to our devils
How lonesome we feel with grass
The valley wall and fingers of laughter crush us

An umbarella of steam ignites the charms and graces
Spirits are up and so is our vision
No, nothing, please
Forget my name, just rest in the cradle and push us onwards

The river runs away now, too far off-course
A leaked vessel makes a mockery
Fools look the part
Scorn is the key feeling

A crag or two to hop over, maybe a saddle
Tidings come from the animals
Barks and squeals and chirps
A noise of banter and bleating

Can you hear it?
Something is amiss in this land
Vultures are fat and pigs are starved
The cup is upturned and our broth spills into the hand

Burns follow us where we go
Indeed a sneaky toad
They know more than the thicket and sneer
Good fortune may limit us

Push, push
An end as the last sits to ponder his grave
Leave a light on for the next man, but don’t waste fuel
We sleep, we dream, we drift