The Cloak

(a double rhyming sestina)

apprentice self anoints in purloined cloak
hairs on end fealty to master broke
limps along ancient Hyperion road
furtive glances back as leaves drop from oak
grey etheric shapes portend death by smoke
rolling mid air snorts lock in target kill
fiery breath death sentence by penal code
wizard leads crystal ball dragon hell bent
incantation pounding rhythmic dark chant
now find the path by scent where lame foot went
blinding flash, pure blue flame, ultimate feel
no escape dull boy, his bellowing rant

no loyalty for me, his whispered rant
alarm bells rang out when boy stole silk cloak
narcotic shackles briefly bound his chant
viper vitriol, Judas lad shall feel
waves of rage ripple forth to shake the oak
calm meditate let magic be his code
yet words came out jumbled thus his spell broke
gold arm lashed out, forgot low roof, wand bent
miscues defer blood payment on toll road
soul compass points to where ever he went
appeal denied as justice flies to kill
slither of split forked tongue of phantom smoke

grey turns to green turns to red solid smoke
coalesced creature spurs wizard's mad rant
soul within striking range go forward kill
the brazen boy trembles hid behind oak
remembers the practice in logic code
focus to prevent his blood stains on cloak
crystal vessel of holy water broke
when calmly precisely thrown on stone road
explosion, spell rent, the hell dragon went
seized brief respite till next death spell chant
fingers in pocket searched till he could feel
power of voodoo doll pressingly bent

back in the castle the wizard is bent
starting to choke then his eyes blow out smoke
time, lungs, and hearts all freeze during blue code
shut down pain, gather voice for knock down kill
crack from above as branch snaps down from oak
collapsing bark with an arborist's rant
reflexive jump, lost track of where doll went
foot snags on root, stays pinned, so ankle broke
nose hits first, blood vessels burst, wet red road
twin torments from his fall lead him to feel
flight of fancy err in albatross cloak
voices divine vengeance to disrupt chant

still thy voice master lest God curse thy chant
humbled now praying on my knees bent
thy servant no longer thou can not kill
I will preach the gospel where Jesus went
miracles wrought while wearing Mary's cloak
seek redemption for the morally broke
reprobate servant with false Christian code
may ye join Christ atop Calvary's oak
thy sulfurous path leads down the hell road
behold enraptured to the devil's rant
sins will singe your skin, pores erupt with smoke
voodoo is not saintly by look nor feel

tis you who are crushing me now I feel
sybarite seeks succubus kiss to enchant
feed the ravenous beast on culled flock kill
diseased burnt offerings on altar went
dross, no sacrifice, yet feeds roots of oak
fools inherit the earth penniless broke
fie, make me a victim of your thief's code
give me iron chains whilst you wear my cloak
conclude thy tedious self righteous rant
delay no more my will will not be bent
infants might be fooled by mirrors and smoke
forget bit and bridle, I shan't be rode

talk let boy meticulously scan road
Christ is new, yet canst thou for me still feel
I testify I live by no such code
no consent to sodomize me as I'm bent
to forgive you or just ignore your rant
recalcitrant admirer covets cloak
poisoned peppermint tea you left me broke
skipping out on your merry way you went
no Greek fire torches to end me with smoke
serene execution lad, a swift kill
leafing through torn tome of spells for a chant
meanwhile boy sought to grip a branch of oak

doll a few hand's breadth from club of gnarled oak
dare he reach out to crawl along grim road
sound and movement alert wizard to chant
enough seconds could pass before the kill
for bolt to strike youth in billow of smoke
flip a coin let fate dictate how life went
so why did he yet breathe, all wrapped in cloak
protect the garment his only dress code
on the fly research was why no more rant
time to turn the tables before he'll feel
the final solution his death more bent
twisted as a pretzel till his body broke

twas foolish to take in a boy so broke
soon would wear a noose tie hanging from oak
boy suffered dementia or did he smoke
lest why'd the boy fled off wearing his cloak
Nike would fall in race on doomed road
copper head boy struck his mental cage bent
reveals saurian drive not honor code
my ne'er-do-well orphan to my home went
sired from serpent urged out to mid-wife's chant
took form of man with viper heart's cold feel
lest I start swaying to charming snake rant
raise knife to neck for jugular kill

gaping mouth open yet still mute from kill
icicles on nose where frozen skin broke
I'll gather villagers in mourning chant
flower memorial left beside road
one day later their wilted petals bent
boy’s blood stains gone after my wench cleans cloak
mortician restores body to morgue code
bowing saffron robed priests burn incense smoke
blest consignment to God's wrath his soul went
testified of being the Lord's stout oak
missionary zeal compelled me feel
liberated from your satanic rant

gloat away old man in loud foolish rant
I inch forward to strike blow witch will kill
raise hand to slay master with right arm bent
cudgel smashes down onto doll, splinters oak
both shocked by footless doll rattling on road
lad's aim was far off yet wizard smells smoke
instinct initiates offensive chant
fingering rosary as his life went
in writhing pain his immortal soul broke
life cost more on balance than pricey cloak
equilibrium upset he fell to feel
what moral compression does life encode

hi-tech, heart monitor, flat green line, code
what could have taken her baby her rant
bad luck gang banger caught up in cross kill
how did he ever go down this low road
finger flashing signs led to foul mouthed chant
bullet flew from barrel pierced gut wrenched feel
colt .45 magnum blows curling smoke
wanting a last kiss to forehead lips bent
ties yellow ribbon around front yard oak
standing there staring the tear dam has broke
walking slow motion she'd earlier went
knelt down on her knees hands grasping priest's cloak

more wail than rant till she stood up and went
grey hair, neck bent, stilted vesper chant
jungle code slaughter from pissing on oak
left by the road side a carnivore's kill
mother's love broke in his gang colored cloak
can she feel his cremation rising smoke

©polarpaul 2006