Future Deleted Experiment of the Present # 26

“Children of Rome”

without sword as sworn by Strabo and the records of monks
long before the time of the pendragon, an age of iron and insular tradition, the scandals salvaged, and the war song played on Carnyx 

Senate’s attempt to suppress mythology
and the ancient Myrddin
his fixation on figures among the Ceo Mara
a magician’s spyglass and the possession of Foghar-
forever orange and red burn at harvest
ash of elders and hawthorn’s fruit whispers to the alder 
an orchards outcry, crestfallen branches 
splayed before a holy blanket holding the light of pardons 

bitter trinkets and Samhain’s foliage scattered among the roars of-
round reflections, to fear Artio, the great bear forgotten

florid among the Coille to follow in dust as the white stag opens the doorway
the last gates of mist beneath The Blackstairs, and all its tricksters hidden among its purple mountains

changelings gather smiling round Anwyyn’s first home
before Avalon’s waters sprang the isle of apples and songs to The Children of Don and the cauldron of plenty inked in the red book and fairies made fools of the wolves of Ossary

but beware all fortelling of the banshee
the dimming of Celtic youth and the graves of family buried 
while sleeping in their armor and empty plate
plenty a boy bitten by fangs and scales of lands they bellow Caesarean! 
the grass crow’s blood we drank! 
all shields upheld by crest of sullen serpents sanctioned 
O Morrigan’s warning-
coiled and cold, awake-
as the children of Rome wrap tongues like ribbons around their heartache