The Hoard

If the treasure is wisdom 

then sign me up

to go under the earth

with your cadre of adventurers

you all may say the candle of life

is only half burned through 

but it goes fast

and I want stories that will carry me 

into the dark of remembrance.

If the dragon waits

to put his teeth in my throat 

or burn me into tempestuous ash

it will be a way of departing

worth singing about

in the halls of the dead

and I want to tell the gods

that I was worth something 

and what I sought was not gold

or victory but 

the fire of eternity to hand on

to the ever after.

I want the book of words

that burn the pages when

they are read

I want the inscriptions 

to enchant a sword

that cuts through the chains

of oppression and delivers freedom 

show me how to find 

these treasures in the hoard

and I will follow you down

to where the dark has dominion

and the flame waits.