Poem: "Thorny Paths"
May. 25th, 2015 03:11 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ysabetwordsmithThis poem is spillover from the May 19, 2015 Poetry Fishbowl. It was inspired by prompts from ellenmillion and zeeth_kyrah. It also fills the "war" square in my 5-18-15 card for the ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
origfic_bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It belongs to the series Path of the Paladins.
"Thorny Paths"
The war was heating up again,
skirmishes breaking out here and there
as the followers of Gorrein tangled
with everyone else.
It wasn't just Gailah's people
and their allies, trying to push
the tide back with a broom.
But it left more marks on
a world already scarred by
decades of conflict.
"Why are we doing this?"
Althey asked as he pried at
the boards covering the well
in the middle of a ruined town.
Johan opened his mouth to say
I have no idea, just as he had
said to himself for years, but
something stopped him.
He couldn't bear to give Althey
the same sense of futility that
he'd carried all this time.
Surely there must be a better answer.
"We're joining up with some allies
to root out a bandit troop that's been
hounding this part of the countryside,
based on a description of their lair
passed along by a young man whom
Shahana and Ari rescued," said Johan.
With a moan of nails, the board gave way.
"Dry," said Althey, peering down the well.
"What is the point of fighting if it just
wrecks the whole world like this?"
Johan sighed. "Because if we didn't fight,
then Gorrein would make an even worse mess."
"Guess I can't argue with that," Althey said.
"What matters is learning how
to fit the little battle into the larger war,"
Johan said slowly, working it out for himself.
"There are people trying to keep us from helping
Gailah regain her position and repair the damage.
If we can stop the bandits here, we can connect
two neighboring areas that are in decent shape."
"Make a healthy foundation to grow from,"
Althey mused as he put the board back.
They met up with a small force of soldiers
contributed by Barzay, who greatly appreciated
having support from paladins with different gifts.
"We'll creep up this ravine through the forest
to get close to the cave where they're hiding,
then pounce on them," said Haffan, the troop leader.
"You two try to stay on the edges of the battle, and
drag the casualties to safety as best you can."
"Understood," Johan said with a crisp nod.
At least he had done this sort of thing before,
more than once. To Althey it was all new,
and alarming from his wide-eyed look.
"Take out all your blades and sharpen them now,
while we have time," Johan advised. That would
help keep the boy busy instead of panicky.
Johan honed his own weapons, watching
the star in the hilt for any spark of light,
but it lay quiescent under the polishing cloth.
Hopefully Gailah would answer if he needed Her.
The attack was quiet and competent,
taking the bandits by surprise.
Johan and Althey followed orders, and
quickly fell into a pattern where Johan would
dart into the fray to snatch a fallen warrior
for Althey to patch back together.
It worked quite well, and Johan only
had to draw his sword a few times --
until five bandits set on him at once.
They harried him toward the copse of trees
where Althey was tending the wounded.
Johan cut down one, then another, but
they fanned out around him so that he
could not keep them away from his back.
Suddenly the one behind him screamed.
Johan spared a glance, not dropping his guard,
and saw that thorny vines had sprouted
to twine up around the man's legs.
As Johan watched, the struggling bandit
was drawn down into the earth.
The last two dropped their swords and fled.
"That -- that's new," Johan stammered,
rubbing a hand over his tattoo with
its tangle of roses and blackberries.
He could feel it now, the quiver of grace
that Alazar had left him, and beyond that
something else that might have been -- Diawn? --
or simply the forest itself, hating the followers
of Gorrein for their rough treatment of the land.
His own goddess might be diminished
in strength, but the world around him
was offering him a share of its power
so that he could protect it better.
The hairs on his arms stood up,
stirred by the energy. It was not
quite the same connection that he
had to Gailah, but it was there, and
the sense of it made him shiver.
"What is this, a party at the swimming hole,
everyone grab ahold the rope and swing on in?"
Johan muttered, trying to smooth the goose pimples.
He wondered what the gods were playing at,
and prayed that they knew what they were doing.
By then the battle was over, so Johan
trudged back to where Althey worked.
The young healer was swaying on his knees,
crouched over one of the soldiers but staring
at something else, some hidden vision
which Johan could not see.
"Althey, what's going on?"
Johan asked quietly.
"I fixed them all but this one,"
Althey said, his voice tightening as he
waved at the row of sleeping soldiers
and then the one beneath him. "It's, he's,
I can feel it in him, time to die, and I see
Forthan the death god standing over him.
Johan, what am I supposed to do?"
"You make your bow to the god,
novice mine, and step aside
to let Him do His work," Johan said,
saluting the empty air in the direction
that Althey's gaze indicated.
Gently Johan tugged Althey away
from the dying man. Althey's face
was already wet, and when the soldier
wheezed out his last breath, the boy
leaned into Johan's shoulder and wept.
"I know this is hard on you, but for my part
I'm grateful that Forthan came to help us,"
said Johan. "When He is busy elsewhere,
it falls to the paladins to gather any souls
scattered on the battlefield, so they will not
be lost -- and I don't mind telling you,
that door is deuced heavy."
As wretched as Johan's tasks had often been,
he could only imagine how much worse it was
for Forthan, who was never really welcome.
Well, Johan might not be any bit of a gentleman,
but he could damn well say thank you when
someone helped him out. Somebody ought to.
A dry-leaf laugh sighed through the air and
a cool touch caressed his cheek before fading away.
Johan shivered again, and embraced his novice.
"I'm a healer," Althey sniffled. "I should be
fighting against death, not letting it happen.
Why'd it feel so right when it should feel wrong?"
Of all the times Althey had confused him
or frightened him or made him feel
painfully inadequate, this once Johan
felt able to answer from his own experience,
for this was a thing he knew and had always known.
"Death isn't wrong or right, it's just a part of life,"
said Johan. "And you're not merely a healer,
but a paladin. I gather this is part of why.
You see, a paladin isn't exclusively a healer
or a fighter. We hold both life and death in
our hands, and may be called to serve either
at any given time. Our vocation makes it so."
It was as hard for a healer to learn to let go
as it was for a warrior to hold life in its place,
and Johan understood what it cost Althey
to make that leap of faith in pursuit of his path,
one step closer to marrying star with sword.
Johan held him and let him cry, because
a paladin's path was never an easy one,
only a necessary one that some must walk
in order for the world to stay in balance.
He just wished that Gorrein and Gailah
could come to the kind of agreement
that She had reached with Forthan,
each tending to the people in turn
so that no one fell by the wayside.
* * *
Notes:
This was originally titled "Thorny Paths" in the notes, but in the thumbnail, I listed it as "The Little Battle."
Purpose and meaning are vital parts of life. They form the framework which gives shape to our decisions and actions. Understand how to find purpose and how to find meaning.
Althey observes that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind, but Johan understands that sometimes war is necessary. In restoring damaged areas after conflict or other disruption, a key principle is to build from strength.
(These links are gross.) Casualty care and evacuation are important parts of a battle plan. In this case, Johan navigates the hot zone of active combat, because he has the better fighting skills; while Althey hangs back in the warm zone to tend the wounded because he has the better healing skills. They make a great team for this.
Nature can fight back with animate plants using vines similar to tentacles. Johan is freaked out because until recently the gods tended to handle only their own followers, and now they've decided to explore the idea of sharing and teamwork. Imagine going to your emergency closet and finding a bunch of new toolboxes -- with very little warning, and no explicit instructions.
Letting go and accepting death are essential parts of appropriate health care and spiritual life. Understand how to face someone else's death or your own death. Johan simply has a lot more experience here than Althey does, and it's the first time that Johan has really felt confident and fully equipped to handle a topic that his novice needs to learn.
ellenmillion and zeeth_kyrah. It also fills the "war" square in my 5-18-15 card for the origfic_bingo fest. This poem has been sponsored by janetmiles. It belongs to the series Path of the Paladins."Thorny Paths"
The war was heating up again,
skirmishes breaking out here and there
as the followers of Gorrein tangled
with everyone else.
It wasn't just Gailah's people
and their allies, trying to push
the tide back with a broom.
But it left more marks on
a world already scarred by
decades of conflict.
"Why are we doing this?"
Althey asked as he pried at
the boards covering the well
in the middle of a ruined town.
Johan opened his mouth to say
I have no idea, just as he had
said to himself for years, but
something stopped him.
He couldn't bear to give Althey
the same sense of futility that
he'd carried all this time.
Surely there must be a better answer.
"We're joining up with some allies
to root out a bandit troop that's been
hounding this part of the countryside,
based on a description of their lair
passed along by a young man whom
Shahana and Ari rescued," said Johan.
With a moan of nails, the board gave way.
"Dry," said Althey, peering down the well.
"What is the point of fighting if it just
wrecks the whole world like this?"
Johan sighed. "Because if we didn't fight,
then Gorrein would make an even worse mess."
"Guess I can't argue with that," Althey said.
"What matters is learning how
to fit the little battle into the larger war,"
Johan said slowly, working it out for himself.
"There are people trying to keep us from helping
Gailah regain her position and repair the damage.
If we can stop the bandits here, we can connect
two neighboring areas that are in decent shape."
"Make a healthy foundation to grow from,"
Althey mused as he put the board back.
They met up with a small force of soldiers
contributed by Barzay, who greatly appreciated
having support from paladins with different gifts.
"We'll creep up this ravine through the forest
to get close to the cave where they're hiding,
then pounce on them," said Haffan, the troop leader.
"You two try to stay on the edges of the battle, and
drag the casualties to safety as best you can."
"Understood," Johan said with a crisp nod.
At least he had done this sort of thing before,
more than once. To Althey it was all new,
and alarming from his wide-eyed look.
"Take out all your blades and sharpen them now,
while we have time," Johan advised. That would
help keep the boy busy instead of panicky.
Johan honed his own weapons, watching
the star in the hilt for any spark of light,
but it lay quiescent under the polishing cloth.
Hopefully Gailah would answer if he needed Her.
The attack was quiet and competent,
taking the bandits by surprise.
Johan and Althey followed orders, and
quickly fell into a pattern where Johan would
dart into the fray to snatch a fallen warrior
for Althey to patch back together.
It worked quite well, and Johan only
had to draw his sword a few times --
until five bandits set on him at once.
They harried him toward the copse of trees
where Althey was tending the wounded.
Johan cut down one, then another, but
they fanned out around him so that he
could not keep them away from his back.
Suddenly the one behind him screamed.
Johan spared a glance, not dropping his guard,
and saw that thorny vines had sprouted
to twine up around the man's legs.
As Johan watched, the struggling bandit
was drawn down into the earth.
The last two dropped their swords and fled.
"That -- that's new," Johan stammered,
rubbing a hand over his tattoo with
its tangle of roses and blackberries.
He could feel it now, the quiver of grace
that Alazar had left him, and beyond that
something else that might have been -- Diawn? --
or simply the forest itself, hating the followers
of Gorrein for their rough treatment of the land.
His own goddess might be diminished
in strength, but the world around him
was offering him a share of its power
so that he could protect it better.
The hairs on his arms stood up,
stirred by the energy. It was not
quite the same connection that he
had to Gailah, but it was there, and
the sense of it made him shiver.
"What is this, a party at the swimming hole,
everyone grab ahold the rope and swing on in?"
Johan muttered, trying to smooth the goose pimples.
He wondered what the gods were playing at,
and prayed that they knew what they were doing.
By then the battle was over, so Johan
trudged back to where Althey worked.
The young healer was swaying on his knees,
crouched over one of the soldiers but staring
at something else, some hidden vision
which Johan could not see.
"Althey, what's going on?"
Johan asked quietly.
"I fixed them all but this one,"
Althey said, his voice tightening as he
waved at the row of sleeping soldiers
and then the one beneath him. "It's, he's,
I can feel it in him, time to die, and I see
Forthan the death god standing over him.
Johan, what am I supposed to do?"
"You make your bow to the god,
novice mine, and step aside
to let Him do His work," Johan said,
saluting the empty air in the direction
that Althey's gaze indicated.
Gently Johan tugged Althey away
from the dying man. Althey's face
was already wet, and when the soldier
wheezed out his last breath, the boy
leaned into Johan's shoulder and wept.
"I know this is hard on you, but for my part
I'm grateful that Forthan came to help us,"
said Johan. "When He is busy elsewhere,
it falls to the paladins to gather any souls
scattered on the battlefield, so they will not
be lost -- and I don't mind telling you,
that door is deuced heavy."
As wretched as Johan's tasks had often been,
he could only imagine how much worse it was
for Forthan, who was never really welcome.
Well, Johan might not be any bit of a gentleman,
but he could damn well say thank you when
someone helped him out. Somebody ought to.
A dry-leaf laugh sighed through the air and
a cool touch caressed his cheek before fading away.
Johan shivered again, and embraced his novice.
"I'm a healer," Althey sniffled. "I should be
fighting against death, not letting it happen.
Why'd it feel so right when it should feel wrong?"
Of all the times Althey had confused him
or frightened him or made him feel
painfully inadequate, this once Johan
felt able to answer from his own experience,
for this was a thing he knew and had always known.
"Death isn't wrong or right, it's just a part of life,"
said Johan. "And you're not merely a healer,
but a paladin. I gather this is part of why.
You see, a paladin isn't exclusively a healer
or a fighter. We hold both life and death in
our hands, and may be called to serve either
at any given time. Our vocation makes it so."
It was as hard for a healer to learn to let go
as it was for a warrior to hold life in its place,
and Johan understood what it cost Althey
to make that leap of faith in pursuit of his path,
one step closer to marrying star with sword.
Johan held him and let him cry, because
a paladin's path was never an easy one,
only a necessary one that some must walk
in order for the world to stay in balance.
He just wished that Gorrein and Gailah
could come to the kind of agreement
that She had reached with Forthan,
each tending to the people in turn
so that no one fell by the wayside.
* * *
Notes:
This was originally titled "Thorny Paths" in the notes, but in the thumbnail, I listed it as "The Little Battle."
Purpose and meaning are vital parts of life. They form the framework which gives shape to our decisions and actions. Understand how to find purpose and how to find meaning.
Althey observes that an eye for an eye leaves the whole world blind, but Johan understands that sometimes war is necessary. In restoring damaged areas after conflict or other disruption, a key principle is to build from strength.
(These links are gross.) Casualty care and evacuation are important parts of a battle plan. In this case, Johan navigates the hot zone of active combat, because he has the better fighting skills; while Althey hangs back in the warm zone to tend the wounded because he has the better healing skills. They make a great team for this.
Nature can fight back with animate plants using vines similar to tentacles. Johan is freaked out because until recently the gods tended to handle only their own followers, and now they've decided to explore the idea of sharing and teamwork. Imagine going to your emergency closet and finding a bunch of new toolboxes -- with very little warning, and no explicit instructions.
Letting go and accepting death are essential parts of appropriate health care and spiritual life. Understand how to face someone else's death or your own death. Johan simply has a lot more experience here than Althey does, and it's the first time that Johan has really felt confident and fully equipped to handle a topic that his novice needs to learn.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-25 08:41 pm (UTC)Thank you!
Date: 2015-05-26 07:56 am (UTC)Yay!
>>It's always hard, when you're raised to hate death, to acknowledge how important it is. <<
So very true. There's a lot that Althey hasn't seen yet, that would help him understand this.
>> And the little battles to build a foundation are often the most important ones. You can't start without a base to build on.<<
Also true. The first story arc has done a lot of work to lay the foundations for what comes next.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-25 11:36 pm (UTC)«a small force of soldiers
contributed by Barzay, who greatly appreciated
having support from paladins with different gifts.»
A god? a local ruler?
«He could feel it now, the quiver of grace»
I read* that as both the shiver and the ready stock of arrows.
* both homographs
Alazar: god of Art, yes?
Diawn: of the forest?
«As wretched as Johan's tasks had often been,
he could only imagine how much worse it was
for Forthan, who was never really welcome.
Well, Johan might not be any bit of a gentleman,
but he could damn well say thank you when
someone helped him out. Somebody ought to.»
Empathy for the Death-god. How strange and hubristic-seeming, but in this setting how right. Better than Sympathy for the Devil, I suppose.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-30 03:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-30 12:43 pm (UTC)Thanks.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-26 02:14 am (UTC)I like all of the things about this, but that's the thing that stood out for me.
Yes...
Date: 2015-05-26 02:34 am (UTC)Yay!
>> I kind of have a soft spot for death-gods, and angels of death, because they are so necessary, and yet so hated. <<
Me too. I think the part that Johan can relate to is doing a shit job with no appreciation. He's been there. He hates it. So he doesn't want to do that to anyone else. And it just made him a new friend, although Johan probably doesn't realize it yet.
>>My one fear, when it comes to death, is that I will be alone. The idea of someone to help me to the other side is a great comfort.<<
*hugs* Everybody gets an escort. Some people are stubborn and refuse to have anything to do with theirs, so it can get complicated, but that's the ideal anyhow. People with a soft spot for Death in any form? Tend to get a personal visit. When you've only got like three friends on the planet and one of them calls to be picked up after the party, you go pick 'em up.
I'll have to keep an eye out for this particular death god. He seems to be the cool, slightly macabre, dry humor type ... but still capable of recognizing a kindred spirit and being gentle with the new healer too. Pretty good fit with Johan. Althey is going to take a while to come around.
>>I like all of the things about this, but that's the thing that stood out for me.<<
Thanks for sharing.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-26 03:23 am (UTC)he could only imagine how much worse it was
for Forthan, who was never really welcome."
Yeah. "A friend of the Devil is a friend of mine..." Forthan seems a rather likable death-god.
Yes...
Date: 2015-05-26 06:44 am (UTC)Re: Yes...
Date: 2015-05-26 02:04 pm (UTC)Re: Yes...
Date: 2015-05-26 05:06 pm (UTC)Re: Yes...
Date: 2015-05-26 07:35 pm (UTC)Re: Yes...
Date: 2015-05-26 11:40 pm (UTC)Talis is awesome. Spoon - (YouTube) is one of my favorites; LookingGlass Folk will be adding it to our repertoire.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-25 10:15 pm (UTC)I think I especially like
Thank you!
Date: 2015-05-25 10:32 pm (UTC)That is something which needs to happen in order to repair the damage done to the world and the power balance, without making things worse by using too much force.
>> but man, poor Johan and Althey are experiencing YAFOG (yet another fucking opportunity for growth). <<
Yes. They got a little bit of warning, but not much, and it's disorienting.
>> On the other hand, they seem to be handling this one pretty well, so good for them. <<
Pretty well, yes. It helps that some of the motion puts Johan on more familiar ground with guiding Althey.
>> I think I especially like <<
:D Poor Johan feels like the fandom bicycle right now.
(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-26 06:48 am (UTC)Yes...
Date: 2015-05-26 06:57 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2015-05-28 06:54 pm (UTC)When the body can't sustain the spirit, when there's no path forward in the meat machine, that's when death comes.
The image is one I like better than the grim reaper, or even as "a natural part of life" because death isn't an enemy. The thing what's trying to kill you might be (and usually is...) but death itself isn't.
The goal isn't to "avoid death" but to live life.
Of course, like *all* models, it works in some areas and not in others. A healer trying to "battle death" might find that model works better for them.
Yes...
Date: 2015-05-28 07:04 pm (UTC)When the body can't sustain the spirit, when there's no path forward in the meat machine, that's when death comes. <<
I think so too.
>>The image is one I like better than the grim reaper, or even as "a natural part of life" because death isn't an enemy. The thing what's trying to kill you might be (and usually is...) but death itself isn't. <<
For me, Death is like the friend who comes to drive you home after an epic party. Do you want to be able to have a great time, and call pickup when you're tired, and wander out to the car laughing and leaning on each other going, "Maaaan, that was a great party! Let me tell you what happened to the popcorn machine..." or doggedly cling to the keg until the host pitches you puking onto the lawn and your friend drags your drunk ass home while you swear at him and puke on him too and then he leaves you with a bottle of water and some aspirin on the end table not because you deserve it but he is just that good a friend?
>> The goal isn't to "avoid death" but to live life. <<
And you know, try not to be That Guy.
>> Of course, like *all* models, it works in some areas and not in others. A healer trying to "battle death" might find that model works better for them. <<
For a healer, Death is a consulting physician. (Althey hasn't met this model yet.) Death is the one you call when you can't fix what's wrong, and you care more about making the patient comfortable than about your own ego. Doctors can do an astounding amount of damage just by refusing to give up. But it's not an accident that a great many deities cover both the fields of healing and death, sometimes also fertility. They're the guardians of the gateway of mortality. They help people come, and stay, and go. The two ends of the torc always face each other.
Re: Yes...
Date: 2015-06-08 04:30 am (UTC)Re: Yes...
Date: 2015-06-08 04:28 pm (UTC)