Morituri te salutamus…

Challenge Photo From Jade

beneath these still
dark waters
I rest
in the ancestral clay
a fallen soul
a warrior
for a just cause
a cause
long forgotten
like all
just causes
wrapped in heroic flags
of country
or
religion
my soul
like the thousands
before
and
after
have been reduced
to a few pages
in a history book
in some
i am a hero
others cast me
as a devil
but i was
just a man
brought here
on swift currents
once i was struck
by a child’s arrow
a child i showed mercy
from my blade
but as I forged the stream
his arrow pierced my back
into my heart
killing me without honor
for he
felt
just

This poem represents my first response to  the second challenge series between Jade and I.  As you may recall, each poet provides the other with a series of photos, visual prompts,  from which the poet is to write a poem.  Jade has written her first response which can be found here.  Yes…I know my Latin was bad, but haven’t used it since high school and trust me that was a long time ago.

brickmaker of tozeur….

at her parent’s home
she waits
while he tends to the fire
that forms the
bricks
curtains
furniture
lamps
utensils
all made of
clay
sold
and saved
as a dowry
for  his love
who like him
is made
from the same clay