Tool of Defiance

Cracked plaster walls, perfectly matching those in
his own guarded world-
His eyes couldn’t hide, the struggles that lied, beneath
the thin surface of time-
He played the role well, in an unforgettable performance;
of the warrior fighting his way through Hell

His hands stained with the rust of the tall iron gates,
and his ears still pierced from their squalls-
He didn’t go alone; He didn’t get out by himself;
They’d all seen the demons, that talked gibberish notions;
The double-headed beasts with claws long and tough-
they laughed hyena-style; and spewed death painful and vile

But then came the child; That beautiful long-haired girl;
that would look them in the face and cry out-
She named all her captors one by one;
whimpered blasphemy in tones and tears-
Her innocence reigned over the hearts of men;
as she romped through their souls like a spear

She hated much deeper than she’d ever loved;
a rock solid ship floating toward destruction-
A tool of defiance; They’d used her well-
to infiltrate; to deceive; to promise death-
She was a two-way mirror; a two-sided face;
We, her targets; as she closed the space

Her Mother cried for the shame of her child;
and the plan that was foiled and spoiled-
She’d given all she owned; this long-haired child,
to an evil masked and mean-
but it was all she knew; all she’d ever praised;
this glossy force twisted and crazed

Not even a stain where her spirit stood,
the concrete again dark and fresh-
words of her song drifted on the wind-
coming to rest somewhere far away-
Another convoy would pass this way tomorrow;
never aware of today’s scene of sorrow

For the men that looked on,
oh they’ll never forget her face-
They’ll go home, leaving this place-
This place where they learned, fought and cried-
This place called Hell where nothing hides-
where insanity and youth committed suicide

Now the cracks in the walls are his own
guarded world-
He plays the role well, in an unforgettable performance,
of a warrior that survived the battlegrounds of Hell
He’ll lay down his head, and that child he’ll find-
singing her song, with no story to tell

© Lisa Hilbers
02/26/2006