Amaranthus

Canto I
One hundred autumns since the war
When the last country fell,
A happy town danced in their hall
After harvesting well.

The people played that afternoon
Heartily with woodwinds,
Guitars, and drums for the couples
Who were wheat-reaping friends.

In spite of all their homespun clothes
And their poor way of life,
The celebration wasn't hurt
For each husband and wife.

All the children sat in a corner
By the village's sage.
He read from a book that he held,
Turning each yellowed page.

Logan was his name, and he said,
"Then states became cities.
Cities became tribes. That was then -
Way back in the sixties."1

Everyone continued when
The sun had almost set;
Then burst in a frantic horseman
As to pay a late debt.

"I've very bad news!" he announced.
"There's been a disaster!
I escaped alone! Believe me:
I could ride no faster!

"I am from a nearby village.
There is a coming death
Spreading black over all the land
Stealing all living breath ..."

"Stop!" interrupted old Logan.
"Is this some macabre joke?
This is a happy evening,
And we're all gentle folk!

"And if you should try to sack us,
I will have you know: Men
Who seek power die with nothing.
Go return to your fen!"

Then said the horseman, "No, I won't!
I am not a liar!
Send some men to see what happened
So you'll hold me higher."

So with the horseman three men rode
Through fields, vales, and low hills.
Said one to another, "We'll see
Whatever this man wills."

After an hour of making haste,
They had reached a high peak.
All that they saw was painted black;
The smell of death did reek.

Coming close, a man was stumbling.
His skin was black as pitch.
He fell, puked up some gory muck,
And released one last twitch.

A young man who rode with them there
(Called Jay by the whole tribe)
Spoke, "We must go and see Logan,
For a plan he'll prescribe."

The four raced back to the village
To confirm what they'd seen.
Logan went up to his library,
As that was his routine.

The people there sent up young Jay
To speak with their elder,
And to unite the tribe like a
Metal-joining welder.

Logan was perusing his books
in the ruined building.
Jay entered and said, "The horseman's
Words were not just gilding.

"Something commands death on the land,
And the land yields to it.
The death comes from the east, and will
Eventually hit.

"What in the world are we to do?
Please use your vast knowledge!
We know you are very well-read.
We need an advantage!"

The old man sunk his head and wept.
"There's nothing we can do,"
Logan choked. "By ourselves we're done.
I must needs say adieu.

"But I know a very old tale
Told me by my fathers.
Listen well! It's our only hope!
Say if you it bothers.

"Far away, in the Great Mountains
To west, you must go.
For you I've an antique map if
The way you do not know.

"There lives an ancient man by the
Name of AMARANTHUS2
Who has great wisdom and powers
That can help all of us.

"Pardon me, for I have failed you.
The desire of the world
Is he. I neglected to read
The scrolls that I kept furled

"That were written about his life.
He's still alive, I think,
If the stories are all valid
And truth is in the ink.

"So go seek out Amaranthus
And never lose your heart.
Here's the map for your long journey,
But I'm afraid to start

"Westward with you. Here I was born,
And here I have been raised.
I must die here. When I say this,
Please do not be amazed.

"Even if I went, my old age
Would curtail my time here.
Jay, you will have to lead the tribe.
Promise me you won't fear.

"Remember me when I am dead
And the stories I shared."
Jay said, "I will; but the children -
Will they know how you fared?"

"I suppose not," said Logan with
Tears rolling down his cheeks.
The two men embraced for what seemed
Like a few thousand weeks.

In the library Jay left him
And went quickly to tell
The village of the exodus
And of Logan's sad hell.

The village corralled its horses
And baked bread and fetched ale.
They left in the night, headed west,
To prove Logan's last tale.

Canto II
From the very beginning of
The peregrination,
There was a disagreement in
The organization

Concerning the existence of
Fabled Amaranthus.
Bickering was common, as was
Dissent superfluous.

Many were determined to break
Away, given the chance.
The group walked or rode; it was
Up to sole circumstance.

Jay and the horseman led the way,
Venerable Logan's
Map guiding. Hourly they sent scouts
Who were skilled as Trojans.

The blackness always followed them
So that they could not rest.
Jay questioned the horseman as they
Took the caravan west.

"Tell all that you know," Jay pressed, "of
The thing that's on our trail."
The horseman answered, "Of course, if
Memory doesn't fail.

"Three weeks ago we heard some news
Of an expedition
By some hunters to the East Coast,
Breaking all tradition.

"They scrouged around a dank cellar
And then opened it up.
The hunters explored inside. Then
Something dark did erupt.

"We did not understand and did
Not believe it, either.
Should we investigate or flee?
My village did neither."

As many difficult days passed,
The people grew sour.
That was until they came to a
Magnificent tower.

A mile away, on a high hill
There was a host of men,
All constructing a high tower.
Jay went to talk to them.

The tower workers sent to Jay
A representative.
Jay would bid them to join him, in
Case they were tentative.

"Hello, my friend!" Jay greeted him.
"I've come to let you know
That you need to evacuate
Ere you are met with woe!

"My people and I are going
West to the Great Mountains.
Please join us! We've been traveling
For days and nights countless

"Because we are being pursued
By a terrible plague
That overtakes everyone.
Let me be not so vague.

"From the far east a black death comes.
It kills everything!
Abandon your project, and please
Come on! You'll need to bring

"Nothing, for we have more supplies
Than we could ever need.
If you don't leave, a death you'll die -
A painful death indeed!"

"Please, do not fear, sir," said the man.
"Of this thing we're aware.
That's why we build this tower here,
With no expenses spared.

"We'll climb up in this awesome thing
And then stuff it with food.
It's the best thing. If you join us,
There won't be any feud.

"In this tower we'll escape it.
We have calculated
That nothing evil can get us
At that height unstated."

Jay replied, "I must disagree
With what you have just said.
Nobody can escape this death.
In that thing you'll be dead.

"We go to meet Amaranthus
The good man and legend
Who we believe is still alive.
He'll keep us from our end."

The man said, "I've known that name, sir,
Since I was but a boy.
I never believed in him, so
That time I did enjoy."

Sad Jay went away, having failed
In persuading the man.
He told the tribe what was said, and
To the tower most ran.

The leaving horseman said to Jay,
"My town had no tower.
All these men are intelligent.
Go look for your flower."

One by one, Jay's tribe had left him.
With them, the bread and drink
Was all taken. Jay left alone,
Waiting for life to shrink.

On horseback he rode through grassland,
Cursing his own birthday.
He cursed Amaranthus and cursed
Those who wanted to stay.

As Jay went on a few more days,
The temperature waned.
Morning frost remained until noon,
Forecasting coming rain.

Jay found a river in hopes of
Catching a juicy trout.
When he waded in the water,
The cold flow made him shout.

While he was grabbing for a fry,
Logan's old map fell out
And broke apart. Jay watched it go
And his heart filled with doubt.

He mounted his horse, retreated
From his dismal defeat,
And wandered. Then he saw a snow-
Crowned, promising arete.

Canto III
Jay found a second wind, having
The Great Mountains in sight.
He remembered Amaranthus
And his essential light.

Overhead, Jay saw dark clouds, so
Precipitation was
Near. His horse began to slow down.
He didn't know the cause.

Without warning, Jay's horse collapsed,
And he was thrown from it.
Jay knew the beast had failed him, and
Mentally, he'd not acquit.

Both furious and despondent,
The young man continued.
He headed toward the slopes, to
Get what had been issued

Him for a fate. As he trudged on,
There appeared a snowfall
That was heavy and near-blinding.
It made his life woeful.

Jay reached the base and started to
Climb toward the gray sky.
He pondered his experience,
And wished to rectify

This blunder of a venture.
Old Logan he recalled
And the responsibility
To which he was enthralled.

Jay had not succeeded, for he
Was sure of his tribe's end.
He had disobeyed Logan, and
He couldn't now ammend.

Jay eyed a huge cavern near a
Treacherous pinnacle.
He needed to survive, with no
Time to be cynical.

The reluctant mountaineer crawled
Inside the roomy cave.
He sat on the threshold and mused
That that place was his grave.

What a splendid view Jay had there,
With all things visible.
The thought of dying there, that day,
To Jay was risible.

He sat there peacefully on the
Edge, set to fall asleep,
When he heard a clear voice that was
Smooth and friendly and deep.

"Who are you" it said, "and why are
You here? Don't let fear fan."
Jay turned to see the speaker, and
'Twas a bearded old man.

"My name is Jay," he answered him,
"And I am here to die.
I'll tell you about my journey
While in this cave we lie.

"I hail from the pasturelands east,
Where there was tragedy.
I guided my village westward
But I led damnably.

"We were attempting to escape
Some kind of weird sickness.
They all rebuked my leadership.
I hadn't heart's quickness.

"They are all dead somewhere out there,
All due to a story
About an ancient hero and
His fictitious glory.

"Supposedly his good wisdom
Consisted of fountains."
"Don't you know," the old man spoke, "that
Flowers grow in mountains?"

All of a sudden, he burst in
The most radiant light.
Jay caught a glimpse of him before
The man hindered his sight.

He was transformed into a king
With purple and white robes.
He spoke with the voice of thunder
In consistent, loud strobes,

"I am Amaranthus, the one
You have been searching for.
I know you, Jay. You want to have
Life, and I am the door.

"I am the end of your journey
And the beginning.
I know your pain. I see your heart,
And your hope is thinning.

"In times past you have cursed me, and
Even forgotten me.
You've kept evil in heart, but know
That I've forgiven thee.

"You cannot save yourself, and that
You know. Lose faith in men,
And have faith in me. Rest in me
And I will save you then.

"Observe what I'm about to do.
The battle will ensue.
I will set you free from the death
So that I can know you."

Amaranthus walked down the slope
As the death was racing
Straight toward him. For the impact
The good king was bracing.

The two great forces collided
In a bright explosion,
Sizably contributing to
Jay's senses' erosion.

Dust and wind were thrown, and the earth
Entered a moment's night.
Jay was unconscious for just one
Second, and then came light.

Jay was lying still on his back
On a cushion of grass
When he awoke to the marvel
Of what had come to pass.

The earth was not desolate, dry,
or uncomfortable,
And neither was Jay's life any
Longer vulnerable.

All was made new, and the earth was
Full of life. The colors
Of the land, all reinvented,
Beat out the best summers.

Children were playing and running
Among some great big trees.
Old friends, reunited, made fun
With them in the cool breeze.

Jay stood up to see this new world,
And coming to meet him
Was Logan and others he knew.
With tears Jay's eyes grew dim.

While everyone was talking,
Amaranthus spoke out,
"Come sit at the table, prepared
For us. The ones devout,

"Who remained in my awesome love,
Not by their self-willed feats,
But by the power of my grace,
Come dine on these rich treats!"

All the people gathered at the
Table, Jay at an end,
Listening to Amaranthus,
For what they should intend.

Amaranthus said to glad Jay,
"Give all of us a toast!"
So Jay lifted up his glass high,
Followed by the whole host.

"To the end!" Jay shouted out loud.
The feast's great host lended
A merry laugh, saying, "This age
Will never find an end!"

Footnotes
1  So our story takes place about the AD 2060s.
2  Amaranthus is a Latin word that means "unfading." In a modern context, Amaranthus is a genus of plants that, to the Greeks, symbolized immortality. This image is used throughout the ballad.