Canticle for the New Diaspora
XLIII
Thy fairest men also shall fall by the sword,
And thy valiant ones in battle.
Saturn was high in the equinox lights and its dazzl’ng complexion
Guised the arraign of the powers, the gaud’d sun, lunary surly
Most of all, winsomely stars at their heavenly-masted retention
Ruling the lights same, thence I was waking on beddiment burly
Thinking it wise to be balanced, alert; and before I could know it
Soon I was found by the village as something invasive, theatric;
One was a man who had years to his name, who was said to be Tobit
Asking me whence I had come, and if sleep in the outerest paddock
Proved to me something beneath me, all near me were people concentric
Silently staring, a sight to behold, and with hand on the table
Next to the door I arose from my sleep to the elder eccentric
Asking him, What is thy charge? and he searched in my eyes for a fable
Which would so justify inquiry, saving him time consequential,
Till from behind me Baruch, who was proving an excellent hearer,
Spoke to him, Tobit, I share with my friend here tidings event’al,
Thinking of possible troubles, and though he has nary a mirror
Sees with his one good eye to our safety, and Tobit relented,
Which so implied he had known it was possible then at an hour
That he would need to be helped by a stranger or violent attendant
Which has arrived; to the reach of the field-edge bursting in flower
Soaked from the rains, I observed two men of a dubious canon
Cloaked in distressed robes, which my attention became it disjointed
While the people around me discerned me a doubtful companion
While I searched for their features, and one of the men to us pointed
Turning away and the two men walked to the cusp of my vision;
When I regained my awareness, the crowd was duly dispersing
Leaving me here, and Baruch I relayed this coming collision
(Mayhaps) with those who were watching us there in the paddock, rehearsing
What it was each had determined to come to us now to inflict us,
Though he resigned to it, saying me, Give it no more preparations,
Must it be, then is so; see, the others I doubt would assist us,
Weak and infirm, and I know it be true we should seek escalations
Whereas the seekers of Father Elijah would seek us no longer
After disposing of these; disagreeing, I averred against it
Though I had naught for my evidence, seeing his proofs were the stronger
Also resigned to it then, and withdrew to his dwellings, I sensed it,
Fitting or not, to be freed of the burdens of cares and in caring
Over the first of my grievances, now I was less for repayment
Over Hadassah, for personal vengeance my spirit was bearing,
This be a day for a just day, soon to emerge from allayment
Once we determine their actual number apart from the specters
Drawn at the edge of the glade; and no sooner I woke, it was raining
Dimming the earth with its ancient obscuring, and both us defectors
Watched from the lattice, its dew-wet edges disguising our feigning
That we were wary and armed, for the several hours in brewing
While we waited in lurch, and by late morn came in their daring
Twelve or at least ten brigands, by cover of clouds in pursuing
Over the hills, borne weapons for strong hands, armor for wearing
Marched as a unit in rank to the stretch of the plain in approaching
Stopping in form with the break in the rain, and we furtively waited
Lest we dismiss opportunity; seeing the Zealots encroaching
Stirred me with fury, but staunch in my discipline, soon it abated,
That we had said in agreement, Baruch and myself, we would not harm,
More than was needed, to garner a sense of their source who supported
What it was these were expecting, and readied my sword on my lopped arm
Watched as the unit dispersed into couples, as thought they aborted
Finding their way in the village and spreading apart as they split up
Duly disguising their progress in swarming and motively searching;
Thus so, the suck of the mud and the dimness of skies were a hiccup
Hindering each as they trailed me and looked, and I, candidly perching
Waited for minutes as hours to train these hands to be steady,
Wherewith a one who was passing Baruch’s home walked to it backwards
After he glimpsed in and saw men, but perhaps not swords at the ready,
Since he was casual, walked to the door, and (I give his exact words),
Said to the door, Art thou coming to peer through the door to my dwelling?
Onward thou goest, for trouble alone is all that I should mention,
Which in itself was a challenge he took for it hardly was quelling
Curious eyes to be told it is trouble, for this by convention
Started the trouble, and then with a wilfully deep exhalation
Barged I the door with the sword at his chest and, keeping it level
Ran him with blade; to his right two more made strange convocation
Drawing their own swords, each was too slow for they met with the metal
Held by Baruch, but his right flank thence was conspic’l’sly naked
Leaving an opening, which was discerned by a champion burly
Rushing him, throwing his arm down, calling him something insacred
Which was a chance for my parry; I loathed be discovered so early
Though it was fair we had such an advantage: directed and sudden,
Rushing the man with my blade, but he moved fast, slashed with a loud cry
Though it would meet mine own, and with both of our swords in discussion
Twice I was struck indistinctly, the pain that renders the mouth dry
Capturing my thoughts, but I found an endurance and swiped up with vigor
Knocking the man who had pained me a few feet to his own flank
Leaving him reeling, but suddenly struck with no time to consider
Came from my left a riposte, sharp, clean, from a man of unknown rank
Drawing my blood from my leg, and I tumbled the trippanate bristle
Running a dark red line on the soul; the streets were decrowded
After the first blows, letting the man who had struck with a whistle
Land on me twice with his sword with no thought to be ambushed or routed,
Opening gashes on both of my legs, but he hardly was special,
When he was slit by Baruch at his throat, blood dark but would lighten
While he gasped and collapsed, and I fell on an earthenw’rk vessel
Smashing to pieces the clay, as the clouds spread, skies were to brighten
Rain all departing and showing the men at the ready to rush us,
Sev’ral at ready, the others remaining behind at a holler
Watching the fighting, to join if we proved to be stalw’rt and plumbus
Which we did thus, for amid these ranks and us making a squalor
Sighted I one at the rear with a champion bright and imposing,
Radiant-garbed — with the coat of a one who was formerly hired
Armed for profession, with cloud-white leaves and vermillion hosing —
Drawing on clever a tactic within me my heart had conspired
Rushed I to this man, rapid and sudden with want to have happen
Bringing with easy momentum my blade with intention for trouble,
Though a professional, here with a guardian twain me his captain
Stepped to me quick with his shield and collapsed from the blow and a struggle
Also ensued, and we traded a blow with no evident victor
When I was launched up and struck by the burly insurgent askew me
Lifting me up fast and returning my blow, and I, not a predictor,
Saw it surprising, and soon I was lost to me senses; he threw me
Then to the ground and I came to my mind in an hour or later
Bound and in transit, Baruch by my side, and with sharp speculation
Turn in my head why the men had retained in me what the Creator
Breathed in my nostrils, and felt it was Father Elijah’s location,
Otherwise, what could a man be so worth in my pitied condition?
Nothing, I venture, wherefore I kept to myself and in silence
Walking along on the day with our captors who meant us a mission:
Both of us traveled, and each we withstand their occasional violence
While we were moving, and seeing Baruch, who was also defeated
Also appealed wit his feet by his dragging, or either us stood ground
(Well-earned, might I suppose, for our method by which we had greeted)
Till we were come to a halt, if we stood and we chanced to a look ’round
When we had come to the spring, to the village in flames; we were forced down,
Siting in damp stone dirt as the men and their beasts were all watered,
Speaking on topics of vain, dull interests so plaintive and coarse, loud,
This so excited the pain of my head, and the guilt for the slaughtered,
That I collapsed, dead-wearied; in stupor I soon was in learning
Names of the men: the one who had struck me and beaten me under,
Burly and strong, Jair; then the commander of mercenairre’s earning,
Saleh; and second to Saleh, his loyal attendant of thunder,
Simon, and these three men were of skill and of mind and of caution;
Simon was small but with dexterous motion, with a pallor,
Bookish complexion, his leader a man who was nickering often,
Scraggly and motionless; Jair was no brute and would talk of his valor,
Crafty and sly it would seem, but of each it was Saleh’s controlling,
Masterful mind for their work, and in time he was promising pardon
Might we admit of Eljah’s locale, who despite their patrolling
Never appeared with a rumor, and chances had started to harden
That he be found, and with this it was shown me the sword with a great heft
Shared by the men as a prop but with usefulness limited, dub’ous;
Then I was spitefully shamed into nakedness, then as he late left
Saleh would leave me no cloak for the night, his expression lugubr’ous
Over the loss of his mentor and leader, and after a search long
This man tired of searching, and like it was once, we have spread forth
Shepherdless sheep with no pasture, a bird with no eyrie to perch on;
Saleh withdrew and the Zealots escorted us onward from dead north
Nearer the wood to the south and the coasts, and to these we were wicked
Starving their hearts for the rule of a teacher and keeping them captive,
Which was deserving of stripes, so it seemed, and so sorely afflicted
Both of us bled and were weary arriving at wateries active
Where were arranged ten heads on a dozen displays, and though gruesome
Gave the expected behavior for both of us captives for running,
Tied to Baruch, with my handless appendage untied and unable to loose him
Left in the shade, and with midges in flight I would wish we were sunning;
Soon we were questioned, I first, and was struck for my ignorant quibbles,
Over and over with nothing but scorn, and my wounds were reopened,
Drained to the water, my dark blood ran on its surface in ripples,
Lacking a recourse or answer for Saleh; appearing unbroken,
Saleh removed me to dunk me in water to stop me from breathing,
Lifting me after a minute; I, gasping for air, could endure the mistreatment
Only the once, and I flailed to resist with a fortitude fleeting,
Which was enough, and he moved to Baruch who with equal agreement
Failed to produce a location, but Saleh considered no pardon:
After a cycle of torment, I laid on the greenery patches
Making a mat for my head, but in time, as the blood was to harden
Over my wounds and I bitterly rose with the bruises and scratches
Waiting to speak at my turn, with the sadness of helpless resignment
Till it was, then in a minute I slept, in it tragic’ly dreaming
Where I would wake if I lived well, not in my sinful refinement,
Next to Hadassah perhaps, and I woke, and I wasn’t, but seeming,
Watching the myrtles in wind by the falls all transform and distorted
Bound but alive, and I looked in the late sun, partially blinded
Owing to sun-light, finding Baruch in a state I reported
When we had met in captivity past and but diff’rently-kinded;
Saleh and Simon returned, but instead of their master initial
Simon inquired on, when we had both left Menahem fallen,
What we despoiled; so far from their questions on teachers judicial,
More of a war-lord Menahem proved, in my eyes he was common,
Not of our faith, but I spoke naught, lest I be more disengendered;
Rather I answered: But currency, earning a stripe and I, hapless,
Answered no more, and I thought to conclude this sad misadventure
Might I be found with the coil, an optical mystery-atlas
Hid on my person, awaiting the time I could maybe discover
What it is meant to be used for (forgive me, but fickle,
Slow and unmoved is my fate), so I kept mum; then had another,
Jair, come near, and I thought him avenging but nay, for no sickle,
Sortie or sword was at hand, he approached with a marvelous spirit
Asking me questions he might grant those he would honor as people,
Such as my name and my home, but his kindness was such I would fear it
Lest I be taken with violence abruptly, and seeing it feeble
Jair so lamented: We deal with you evil, and neither have spoken,
Now we deliver you favor, with silence again have you cursed me!
What shall we deal with you soon? shall we beat you in turns to be broken?
Grant you a share in our spoils to come? and for what you, perversely,
Deal with us? what have we done to deserve this wretched abandon,
Careless defiance? we might teach these a superior lesson:
Silence for silence, we drag you upon the displays of a canyon
Throwing you each down over again, to demand an impression,
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