As I approached the meadow
my armor creaked
from 21 years of wear
only removed to shower
and sleep
But sometimes when I woke up
I found I had put it on
out of fear
I’d be stabbed
even in my dreams
I was tired of carrying it
but
I was so rusted ShuT
that it wouldn’t come off
without a fight
I was a cyborg with no purpose
half woman and half rusted agony
that never flaked off
“Come, this way”
I was enticed
by a man
with a smile
and a script
of kind sayings
“just up this hill, you can do it!”
So I went, slowly at first
as the metal encasing me
tended to do
“You won’t need that here”
I was assured
but I knew dragons hid in plain sight
or tried to trick you into walking
into their mouths
It was a long journey
and I couldn’t keep this on forever
Everyone else on the hill had none
It was probably safe
(right?)
safe enough
to trust the guide
because no dragon had eaten him
yet
and he lived his life
like a morsel
So the gauntlet fell
and I was invited to take off my helmet
My shin guard
left
and
right
discarded by big trees on the path
so I knew where they were
My breastplate creaked off
and my codpiece
I felt naked as I reached
the top
With my guide
who told me
he’d be right back
with something…
special
no one wanted
to show me anything special
since before I got fitted for
my suit
so I was curious
what
it could be
As I turned, I was introduced
to another woman
who the man beamed at
like his own personal sun
But I knew enough
to know
that stars either illuminate you
or burn your eyes out
but never both
It just depends where you look
“Isn’t she wonderful?”
he said
as she pulled out
my sword
that I had abandoned
by the side of the road
and slit my throat
“Isn’t she wonderful?”
he said as I lost consciousness
and died
When I awoke again
I was in my armor
tighter than before
reborn from slaughter
With a reminder
on my sleeve
that dragons don’t
kill
the people that
feed them
my armor creaked
from 21 years of wear
only removed to shower
and sleep
But sometimes when I woke up
I found I had put it on
out of fear
I’d be stabbed
even in my dreams
I was tired of carrying it
but
I was so rusted ShuT
that it wouldn’t come off
without a fight
I was a cyborg with no purpose
half woman and half rusted agony
that never flaked off
“Come, this way”
I was enticed
by a man
with a smile
and a script
of kind sayings
“just up this hill, you can do it!”
So I went, slowly at first
as the metal encasing me
tended to do
“You won’t need that here”
I was assured
but I knew dragons hid in plain sight
or tried to trick you into walking
into their mouths
It was a long journey
and I couldn’t keep this on forever
Everyone else on the hill had none
It was probably safe
(right?)
safe enough
to trust the guide
because no dragon had eaten him
yet
and he lived his life
like a morsel
So the gauntlet fell
and I was invited to take off my helmet
My shin guard
left
and
right
discarded by big trees on the path
so I knew where they were
My breastplate creaked off
and my codpiece
I felt naked as I reached
the top
With my guide
who told me
he’d be right back
with something…
special
no one wanted
to show me anything special
since before I got fitted for
my suit
so I was curious
what
it could be
As I turned, I was introduced
to another woman
who the man beamed at
like his own personal sun
But I knew enough
to know
that stars either illuminate you
or burn your eyes out
but never both
It just depends where you look
“Isn’t she wonderful?”
he said
as she pulled out
my sword
that I had abandoned
by the side of the road
and slit my throat
“Isn’t she wonderful?”
he said as I lost consciousness
and died
When I awoke again
I was in my armor
tighter than before
reborn from slaughter
With a reminder
on my sleeve
that dragons don’t
kill
the people that
feed them
