Arrows, Near the Rocks

I send the arrow-fetcher back,
To town, holding the
Arrows I arced
Beyond him.
Beyond was the
Sign, the
Signal, the
Talisman of
A king’s rage, a father’s fury
A prince’s anger, a son’s grief.

I stand alone, in
Anticipation of Beloved’s
Emergence from the
Outcroppings of rock.
He peers round;
Our eyes meet our hearts,
Hearts of joy and
Desolation, the
Joy of friendship present, the
Desolation of absence to come.

He bows, three times
He bows; he bows to
Pay obeisance to what the
Lord has ordained, what
We both know
The Lord will take away.

We say but few words,
Words mostly unneeded now.
We weep the tears of together,
Repeating vows. He
Heeds my words, my warning, and
Leaves in our shared peace.

We know we will not
Speak again,
Shattering our souls.