A Ballad of Samurai

The Words of a Master

Read in Landscape

Before the warrior beast now fell not by the craft of blade
Though long the battle both had held and great the wrack they made
Not hand he owned that stayed it's heart thus granting creature death
Of killing blow for second time a thousand bird's bereft.

And man did eye the field he stood the carnage beast had wrought
The flatten grass and uproot trees that creatures winds had brought.
Then sudden man remembered well the sling and craft of child
When boy had slain the bandits kept inside the forest wilds.

And cried aloud the warring man for boy to raise and stand
Before the current searching gaze of mighty warring man.

"Behold I know you boy are the one who slayed this beast
With the craft of woods and the sling you wrought with but little ease.
I ask you raise and see me so my eyes on boy be lain
The one who mighty kitsune killed by child's wiles yet slain."

Then boy from shadows lifts his head before the warrior's gaze
And eye of man on sling of boy then quickly falling lays
And never moves though boy does speak to man with grateful words
Throughout this time his heart unmoved a face does fail to stir.

"Though boy at first did doubt your plan
You made to make your final stand.
Yet still the beast was finally slain
And down in grave forever lain

No more to torment land we dwell
With fangs or claws or windy tails.
This greatest thanks our people give
That man to fight the beast did bid.

Though given scarce a chance to win
And life of beast to bring to end.
Yet still you went embracing death
So men of homes not left bereft."

And boy did end his speech and kneel on ground before the man
Unhalting eyes of newest friend to much to long withstand.
Now hoping show of gentler will of lower state he holds
Might turn aside that strangest glare of warring man so bold.

For long the man and boy now stay in stance they both did take
The boy not knowing turn of air or twist of sudden fate.
The man in hopes the thing he feared was surely wrong assumed
Unless the boy by blade he holds has bought untimely doom.

"How strange the child who bid me to turn from the slaying path
Was also he who killed the beast and put to end it's wrath.
But man by fact that I have fought yet well in this glade with beast
Do know that child did not perform what was his task with greatest ease.

Some other tricky thing you did use to put it at its end
And home of boy and folk you kept to then yet try defend.
I bid you tell me my child what you did use as a slinging stone?
Because I feel a fear that that thing was my master's bones..."

And wind in lungs of boy did rush as thought now fast occurred
The bones of master man had kept the boy improper stirred...
His form did shake as child did raise and see the friendly eyes
He brief had known from forest keep now twisted well by lies

Into a state that's partly crazed and glaring down at boy
The fear the child now showed on face confirming well his ploy.
Then angry cry did fill the land of sorrow along with rage
At chore the child had took on self against the fox to wage

Untimely way he lost his life by saving life of man
To wait until the warrior's death a better time for plan.
If dead no power man would hold to take for self revenge
And life of child who bones defiled to try and bring to end.

Yet present time the hand of man by warring law is forced
To raise his blade on little boy and end his mortal course.
In anger high the man now spoke to chide the little boy
For going out to work his will and bring about this ploy.