Sestina: To Truth

Once upon a fragrant time
When strife did not befall the world
And the temperamental hearts of men
Were not assailed by the dark
And could find sunshine in a cloud
When happiness flew higher than sorrow

It was a sweet transcendent world
In a forgotten fabled time
But lo as fate would have a cloud
That dripped the awful spell of sorrow
And photosynthesized the dark
Did stir within the souls of men

Great sages lived among the men
Who saw the front of wicked cloud
Shift their way across the world
So armed with magicks but not with time
They fought in vain and lost in sorrow
To mutely watch the growing dark

And so did spread the unchecked sorrow
In this ill-begotten land of men
There was no light to quench the dark
In all the folly-blinded world
And for a moment Death froze time
To bask beneath his beaming cloud

With eyes as fierce as thunder clouds
Men forged their arms from tempered dark
And ensued wars that bled with sorrow
They felled in droves their brother men
Until at last wept Father Time
And Death eased his grip upon the world

So hail to thee triumphant dark
A captured heart knows naught of sorrow
Who lives in this red-litten world
Where Heaven's blood doth clot the clouds
And in this realm of hollow men
You hear tears roll down wizened Time

This world is ours cry voiceless men
Who rally in this darkened time
But sorrow rolls on in silent clouds