Axe and Sabre

The soft-horned falls,

to sever Earth’s bones;

The cutlass rises,

to crack the fair-roof.

The power-span falls,

to oppress the neck’s burden;

The blood-grip rises,

to blunt evil’s edge.

The hewer waved,

shaking Heaven and Earth;

The quencher stirred both

the quick and the dead.

One was the minion,

wicked and foolish;

The other the teacher,

eager and wise.

The foul fiend tries

to defend the god’s house;

The lie-hater seeks

to liberate friends.

The battle-bright fell

like a bolt from above;

The draw-wand rose

like a dragon from the sea.

The rage of their sword-storm

split rocks and felled trees;

The clamor of their club-clash

filled clouds with thunder.