Missileridden banners looking mothbitten, fluttering wind influenced
In like rhythm pilgrim army carves a line
Lion pelts clasped at breast by gold-threaded brooches
Veterans with hangedman wisdom hang on the rhythm of a lissome Emperor’s words
His pearl-footed sandals move aside sand into piles of gold as vault his banks
He offers no thanks for this but for the grit of his men, who have staked their gristle on victory
Voice loud as Paul’s epistles, an edge of thistle-sting to his barbs
Those listening whistle, rousing vacant friends, lend heads to ears
He looks at the tops of a million heads
His shredded cloak’s frayed edge rings his legs.
An eagle overhead screeching
He thanks them, years of service
Seas they crossed the surface of, ceaseless war and battle
No surfeit rapine
The glory that robes them gleams sufficient to be seen for eternity
With ruthless efficiency routed elephant cavalry
Counted blizzard-haunted peaks in the Hindu Kush
Three stone casts high according to the drive of the cartographer’s peltast
The world in his hand, his lance the fate-deciding arm that Longinus bore in his hands
Applause erupting at every pause, paws clapping
Lapping at campaign promises as lapis lazuli tides lap Grecian shorelines.
Elation at once-cowed Nation’s growing statehood
Gowns high office, crowns signifying his raising above all officers
Unifier of opposites
Union of occident and orient
His gory trail a tale told among paling faces
Those places he saw he sought to subdue
Those races of alien strangeness whose mountain subterfuge the hoofs of Bucephalus graced
Those high refuges cooling at fuligin’s coming
Cattle as at Cooley collared with jewels
Where the lunar jewel loomed close enough to bruise.
Troopers refusing the rules of foreign games drunkenly demand duels
Daylighter ignites braziers dragging up dawn
Shadows stand in Hindustan
Snaking along sand, fingers climbing off hands
Disputes settled before sage’s seats
Lotused legs displaying shadelighter feetsoles.
Creatures in regiments resident upon blow-dented breastplate, shapely rumps splayed goddesses array able arms
Etched ivory on sable as fits Achilles’ relation
Geographer’s work right-hands to claws, graphite ingots dwindle to nibs
Forged in steel, facing his soldier’s trials
No doubt his gleaming crown a sure fit.
In stomach’s pit, maw’s jawgates unmixed wine poured from a divine metal cup
Per habits takes cups among living myths, dips back his godhead
Licks winewet lips, abyssal drips carve anemic rivers along crystal ridges in a chalice
Dries upon wrist lip
Cloak emblazoned blazing image
Bronze bull sacred to Apis.
Alchemisland 
Leave a comment