As Ever Like the Sun & Moon at War

1- ☼☼☼ ☼☼☼

Our Pilgrim wakes on horse that hath been tied

onto a post that seems to occupy

a place upon a street within a town.

Confus'd, he swivels gaze from side to side

ere turning straight ahead and looking up

upon what seems a tavern with a sign

that hangs above with paint of black and white

depicting devils, each of night and day

respectively with smirking countenance

atop two blades, each tipp'd with pallid blood;

our Pilgrim recognizes Black and White                    10

from stories of the Spine that lies to north,

as demons who inhabit mountain range

infecting towns and travellers alike

in search of something precious kept from them,

and wonders for a moment why this bar

would choose a children's fable for their sign

to twist into this scandalous display

of vi'lence, even if it's devils' deaths.

Dismounting from his steed he enters here

and seats himself in th'empty building, save                    20

for single wench behind the bar who squints

her angled eyes, suspicious of our man

at his approach and speaks to him these words:

"A local you are not, who sits before   

me in my tavern at this time of morn;

pray tell me that you'd like t'request a bath

in back before I serve ye at my bar."

With straighten'd back upon this greeting gave,

protagonist replies excitedly:

"A bath! O, yea, apologies to ye                      30

for entering your place in poorest form;

however, I cannot seem to recall

just how I came to be outside your place,

for last that I remember I was held

within a prison complex where endur'd

I many awful tortures ev'ry day

which I shall not relay to feminine

of hearts which surely couldn't bear the thought

of suff'ring. Only know that due to mine

imprisonment I am bereft of coin                    40

and of supplies, as they remov'd from me

what little I possess'd ere I was cag'd

and was a simple traveller in search

of paradise that I could call mine own."

Now pulling tight her bun of raven hair,