As Ever Like the Sun & Moon at War

5- ☾

They drive along the road for longer than

what's typical of them, for now they're not

exhausted by their travel as before,

and so they're able t'ride until the night

when darkness doth obscure the way ahead,

which forces them to stop, as they are not

adept at seeing through the dark as snakes.

Our Pilgrim parks the wagon to the side—

unfortunately it's impossible

to hide, for th'woods thick beside the road—                10

and both now crawl in back and find a niche

in which to lie among their basket goods.

But though our Pilgrim seems to find his sleep

forthwith, as it so often seems he does,

the Spouse can't wrestle shut her heavy eyes

and soon decides to exit from the cart.

Pariah doth, of course, a notice take

and waits to see where Spouse decides to go,

and only once he sees her stop about

ten yards away to south doth he return                20

attentions to himself, now rolling sleeve

toward his shoulder to examine what

Innkeeper did inflict upon his flesh

with knife of his. He gazes at the wound—

a tiny cut—but clenches jaw at this,

for what he sees he then begins t'repress,

denying, justifying—then forgets.

He rolls his sleeve to cover up his arm

and lays his head again upon his roll.

Away from th'wagon where her Pilgrim sleeps,                30

the Spouse—whom Author clearly sees nearby—

is holding sleeve to face to muffle sobs.

The burden of her guilt is weighing down

her conscience, and she loathes her mind and heart

for th'weakness she display'd whilst he was strong

enough to face the sickness in his blood.

Her head now lifts; she wipes away her tears

and from her pocket draws the faded stone,

which—baring teeth—she throws to the abyss

o'er side of th'ridge to plummet down below                40

before she turns her back toward the fjord

and gazes back along the road, and for

a moment doth the Author contemplate

that she regrets declining th'offer from

the Oracle to join the nunnery.

But now's too late, for she is on her path

as Oracle predicted would occur.

What did the demon mean when said he'd cut