Guantlet

A Poem by Dukesrunner

And I said.

“Don’t close your eyes,

Cease the creasing lines,

Don’t breathe that final breath,

Please don’t leave me behind.

We’ve stood side to side

Through thick, through thin

You scrapped me out a few times,

And I swore you me to the very end.”

And then,

I looked back,

Over my shoulder,

But we can’t back off,

Since we’re soldier to soldier.

But the people behind us

Are cracking their whips,

And the lions before us,

Are licking their lips.

So I scream,

“Back Down!”

And we’re running the gauntlet,

‘cause we won’t back off,

But we won’t press on.

So here we are,

Fighting the wars,

Of the world around us

And their black ice hearts

“Keep moving, don’t tire!”

I ordered loud above the crossfire.

But with miles to go,

I saw each step, her shattering blow.

With despair in her eyes,

I knew she was through.

On these grounds she could die,

In my shaking arms too.

And then,

I looked back,

Over my shoulder,

But we can’t back off,

Since we’re soldier to soldier.

But the people behind us

Were cracking their whips,

And the lions before us,

Still licking their lips.

And I cried,

“Back Down!”

For we’re running the gauntlet,

‘Cause we won’t back off,

But we won’t press on.

So here we are,

Fighting the wars,

Of the world around us

And the black ice hearts

We staggered from the firestorm

Holding her, weak, in arm.

Her shivers spilt her final blood,

All I could do was keep her warm

More shots broke out across the sky

Shredding apart the wind,

I heard her whisper her final goodbye

Giving up her struggle deep within.

And then,

I looked up,

Up to the sky,

Because I gave up,

Lost any will to fight.

And those people behind us

Can fight their own war,

And those lions before us,

Can keep begging for more.

And I cried,

“Back Down!”

Cause I’m done running this gauntlet.

In this battle the truth I’ve found,

And I just won’t take this.

Won’t let you cut me away,

Piece and part,

By your world around me

Beating on my battered heart

Author's Note

Hey All. This poem is one of my favorite, but not through it's actual writing, but through the way I thought of it. :P I do a lot o thinking in the shower, and I got the idea for this chorus in the middle of it. Well, for those who know me, my memory isn't too great, so, I grabbed my towel and, suds and all, sprinted downstairs to my computor, jotted down the chorus, then ran back upstairs to finish my shower. Mum had me washing the suds off the tile afterwards, but I got the chorus down. That was 3-4 months ago. My brilliant idea sat open on my desktop back then, as I tried to create the rest of the poem. Eventually, I gave up, knowing I'd someday came back and finish it. Well, a few daysago, I was writing this poem, and after the first two stanzas, found myself at a loss for the rest of it...and suddenly, I thought of my first unfinished poem. And the rest of it just rolled off my fingers. Not a ton of symbolism in this poem when you first look at it. But, the layers of interpretation are in there. You just have to look kinda hard. The reason you know I'm not joshing you? This is a hybrid of two different poems. The chorus was by itself at one point if it helps you figure it out. And here I am giving hints on how to udnerstand my writing! Read it the way YOU want. Ignore me. :P Cya