Disclaimer: Samurai 7 and all its wonderful characters belong to the great Akira Kurosawa and of late his estate. I only play in his playground and not for profit.
Almost… by Zan.
Almost lightning almost thought
If none is needed, statue still
If none is needed, silent still
Breathe less, not breathless
Almost…dead.
But for the light in the eyes
But for the hum of the blades
But for the wind in the air
But for the pulse of a heart
Almost… alive.
Like petals lazily aflight, a dance
Floating on a breeze, brought hither thither
White flutters, stark against scarlet
Twins sing in unison, harmonising with the one.
Footfalls soft, sure, almost… feline.
Join us do? No point, none
Therefore, we dance and we bleed
To mark mettle with metal
To taste life, to smell life
Almost…captivated.
Diverging duties
Different loyalties
Duplicated maxims
Duplicate in desiring
Almost… promised.
No need to wonder – I can wait
No need to watch – I will find you
No need to worry – I will live
No need for wiles – I am caught
Almost… ready.
Perhaps, because they can
Perhaps because they wish to learn
Perhaps because for the fun of it
Perhaps because they seek redemption
Almost… the right reasons.
Thus, they follow
As do I
From a distance
Hanging back
Almost… time to act.
In sun bright sand
Amongst the rocks
In tranquil fields
Amongst the huts
Almost… there.
What forces the hand of treason?
Inherent in each of us
So natural to cut out the disease
Clever, clever to show leniency
Almost… a lucky stroke of stratagem.
Surrounded, such as we are
Surrounded by so much life
Surrounded by so much death
The fears, the sweat, the tears and hopes
Almost...life.
As arrows 'whirr' through the air
As swords cut metal, flesh and bone
As rain and fire fall
One duty shared, one duty done
Almost… over.
Still, more promises to keep
Still more wandering to do
Still more truths to sift through
Still more lies to bring to light
Almost… alone again.
Therefore, still more following to do
Still more watching to do
Still more waiting to do
Still more thinking to do
Almost…insanity.
Strike counter strike
Stroke and counterstroke
Protect purity
Truth and beauty
Almost…War.
War wounds
Hurts, ills and kills
Fallen friends and fallen foe
Some promises cannot be kept
Almost… apologetic.
I am sorry I did not wait
I am sorry now you need to hurry
Do not worry I will find you
Do not worry I will not forget
Almost…bereft.
On a hill overlooking peace
Lies a thin wood of metal
Sparsely planted
Seeds of life to give life
Almost…victorious.
Lightning thought
Statue still
Silent still
Breaths none
So ends the song of twins.
Looking for harmony
In the tone of one
'Smile when you find me again'.
Owari
Author's note: By the way ff has swallowed up my verse breaks. I have been battling it for nigh on three hours now and whatever I do, it just doesn't save the changes. So I humbly apologise if the formless poetry has even less form. Zan