Our sleepless Preacher mounts the high plateaus—
his shallow wound a granulated streak
of pallid scabbing just below his ribs—
and passes through the gate before the dawn
by guards who lets him in and look surpris'd
to see him coming at this time of morn.
"I didn't know you left," one says to him.
Our Preacher nods, continuing along
and down the street and following canals
that twist and wind beside the cobblestone 10
with bobbing boats at berth along their sides
and waters calming down their currents' rush
and lowering to safer levels' depths.
He crosses bridges, takes the bending streets
as dawn erupts upon the cityscape
to shower gold the saffron cobblestone
and brick upon the Twilight Tavern's front,
which now he's entering and pressing through
to pass the tavern by toward the rooms
wherein the prostitutes reside and work 20
to come to th'one that's occupied by Doll.
He stills his rattling teeth and takes a breath
before he raps his knuckles on the door
and waits for her response from deeper in.
But nothing comes. He raps the wood again,
and still there's not a peep from th'other side.
A creak upon the boards doth catch his ear,
to which he turns to find a prostitute
about his shoulders' height and looking shy
toward the floor around her dress's hem. 30
He dothn't say a word as she's about
t'address him, if she only finds the will
to speak, which comes in quiet, reedy breaths:
"You're Preacher, right? I've listen'd to ye talk,
and all the girls here are well aware
that you and Doll are friends, so if I'd seen
ye on the street I would've ask'd ye then
if you had seen her recently, for we
are worried for her safety, having not
return'd to here within these past few days." 40
Our Preacher's heart now jumps into his throat.
"You haven't seen her recently. She's gone
and missing. Is this what you're try'ng to say?"
She nods her head at this and then replies:
"Perhaps if you deliver'd words for her,
then folk would party up to search the streets.
YOU ARE READING
As Ever Like the Sun & Moon at War
PoetryA troubled Pilgrim sets upon a road in search by sun and storm of paradise; a vain Pariah's banish'd from his home to render justice by the moonlit night: two individuals who share a flesh, each unalike in methods and beliefs, yet fated consequence...
