Guardian Stranger (poem)
(dedicated to John DeMita)
A comet and a shooting star
Traversed the nighttime sky
The comet said, unto itself,
"The world beneath must die,
There is no room in my domain
for thee, or thou, or thy."
The bell rang shortly after dawn
They gathered at its cry,
To hear the plans made for their days
And listen by and by,
To speeches about what and when,
And who, and where and why?
And in their midst the stranger stood,
With starlight in his eyes.
'Neath chestnut locks, a face as white
As snow fresh from the skies,
Holds sorrow deep for his companions'
untimely demise.
But grief this great cannot be borne
And so it must give rise,
To anger toward the murd'ring thing
The stranger did despise.
With foe not far yet not quite near,
The stranger then surmised,
That for his fate, he'd have to wait
And see what leads arised
And in the crowd, he spotted her,
With sweet and sparkling eye,
descendant of his foe's own foe
And Princess of Jurai
Because these things, this girl knew not
The stranger knew she'd die,
If he kept not a watchful gaze
Upon the winter sky.
And if he did not guard her well,
And always stay nearby.
Behind a desk in hallowed halls
The stranger showed no vice,
But stare as hard as tempered steel
And heart as cold as ice
Not daring to form lasting bonds,
Ere one he loved might die
Refusing to shed any tear
Was much too proud to cry.
Then in they walked, two students new,
From under foreign sky,
One regal-proud, one blue of hair
Who caught the stranger's eye.
And blue-hair eyed the stranger with
Suspicion in her eyes.
Beside the window, nonchalant,
Backdrop of azure sky
He kept his gaze upon the girl
As blue-hair keep her eyes
Upon him, though her purpose there,
He just could not surmise.
He took his meal in solitude,
Although his starlight eyes,
Burned fiercely with annoyance as
Blue-hair turned her own eyes
Of gold to gaze upon him,
He departed by the by...
The girl he swore he would protect,
Stood 'neath the winter skies,
Gazing upon an unbuilt house
With new love in her eyes,
Beside her stood the architect,
With tender, loving eyes.
The stranger watched from 'hind a tree
Keeping a watchful eye
On two who chatted, happily
He heard the young girl sigh
He drew away, quite suddenly,
When blue-hair wandered nigh
In Tokyo, the stranger sat
Apart from other guys,
While keeping watch upon the one
Who's shining eyes belied
A love for her dear architect
Which she'd yet to decry.
Then blue-hair turned her eyes toward him
And gave to tongue a cry
And o'er bench, and thickest shrub
The stranger passed them by
As fleeing blue-hair as she moved
As fast as she could fly
The streets, still crowded after dark,
The stranger drew he nigh
To the young girl and architect,
Not seeing blue-hair nigh
He heard her gasp, then moved along
They must have thought him shy
Through crowded streets unto the beach
To where a temple lie
Upon the steps as blue-hair stood
Not seeing him draw nigh
Until he stood behind blue-hair,
And whispered to her "I
Know who you are, and what you are
But why you've come here I,
Am not aware and I don't care,
Just listen, now, as I
Confide in you the reason
That our common foe draws nigh;
To destroy she who unknowing holds
The Power of Jurai.
But he shall not destroy the girl,
I swear to you for I,
Shall soon defeat the vile shadow
Who has drawn me nigh
For what he did, I seek revenge!"
Then he shed his disguise.
The face beneath, which he revealed
caught blue-hair by surprise
As leapt he to the temple roof
She could not turn her eyes,
And vanished he, then before she
Could make them both allies.
The morning sunlight sparkled
But never shone into the eyes
Of he who now stood vigilant,
Now void of all disguise
With weapon drawn, as through dark cloth
He scanned the morning skies
All energy fell silent then,
The lift it ceased to rise,
The comet circled round them
Then it crashed in from the sky
And said "Where is it, that I seek?
The Power of Jurai!"
"I know that it is very close,
Its very scent is nigh
It fuels my anger and my rage
And suffer for it I,
have done for much too long now,
And revenge shall soon be mine!
Whoever wields that power here,
I shall cause your demise"
He started to move closer,
But then something from the skies
Perhaps akin to thunderbolts
Had caught him by surprise!
The comet sped up and away
He'd later kill Jurai,
Right now he had another task
And other fish to fry
Someone'd had the nerve to shoot him,
Who'd dare to even try?
Not comet now, but shadow dark
Cold malice in three eyes,
A patch of night which blocked the light
Eclipsing sunlit skies
And those three most vile orbs
Perhaps there was surprise
"Survivor, brave and spirited,
too well worked your disguise
I greatly fear, none know you're here
It shall be your demise!"
The stranger said, "I'll do my best
No matter if I die,
I'll see you fall, oh foul foe,
Before the end is nigh.
Though wounded grim, with hope now dim,
The stranger had to try,
Entangled then, in shadow cold...
A last, defiant, cry.