In the shadow of the Swallow's Nest,
the castle at the very tip of Crimea, skulks
Alexander, the man who haunted himself
for obscure reasons of the heart known
only to himself and two others.
Significant is the deerskin band on his head
in which stands a single white feather
representing his greatest hope
and his worst failure.
In the light of moving shadows
under the battlements
he welcomes his brother, Nikolai -
his only confidante and caretaker -
who knows the tears of the moon
reflect scraps of sanity fractured
in each drop as they fall to earth.
Ghostly man speaks to his brother
as Nikolai sets down a meal:
"Please, Koli, do not lie to me.
Do I continue to hope beyond all
that is reasonable?"
Tormented by sibling dismay
the faithful one replies for the
countless time in a ritual firmly
inured as with waterproof glue:
"She's not dead, Alexi. She is away."
In the castle above, at a distance, rings
a valet bell for Nikolai's attention.
[BR Challenges (2)
The man who haunted himself
reasons of the heart
waterproof glue
distance ring
she's not dead
Waterproof glue
tears of the moon
white feather
moving shadows
lie to me]
