A Ballad of Samurai

The Duel Atop of Shoko no Yosai

Read in Landscape!!!

In lack of leisure men repose the idle spans of hours
That's brought by paltry chance to prove their martial skills or powers
Against the walls of clannish foe for daunting test's present
By high and wooden gates that stands to stop a swift assent.

So soldiers bide their time behind their sieging walls and wait
To see which side in contest held the quicker will abates.
On earthen mounds they slowly build without a wond'ring mind
For war though mundane's also dire and death you'll quickly find.

If mind from task at hand does waver long on distant thoughts
To break the tedious air that's gave by sieging work that's wrought
Would death not fall as swift as roe on all the martial mass
Who current work performing well a dire but mundane task?

So fear's a warden keeping men's unvaried prison cell
Of world where minds must ever bend on fortress foes do dwell.
Not given leave to even leave the banal inside their thoughts
Or threat of death atop their head by foe is surely brought.

In mud they work with tools of siege and build their earthen banks
Against the walls of wooden fort that held their foeish ranks.
And pail by pail the ramps were made and plank by plank their screens
And dart by dart their archers slew what foes were current seen.

And on they strive for weeks and days and always mind is brought
To task when death of fellow man by lack of focus' wrought
Does come by darts of foeish make and lays them still as death
And leaves the rest of warring men of friends and hope bereft.

For every death's a warning gave to turn not mind from task
Nor long abide in thoughts of mind yet far from chore that's ask
By men who lead the clan in war and bid them siege to make.
Thought thing is long and hard and cruel it's still the
bidden fate

Of all who wear the crooked sword and wield it's dreadful curve
Against these long imposing task their forced to still their nerve.
Yet still this siege forever drags no respite's lays in sight
Or change of current detante held to rescue men from plight.

But sudden slightest tremors felt beneath their sandaled feet
And only few amidst their mass do pause and answer seek
For thing was soft and gently felt not large enough to note
But again again a greater shock beneath their feet was smote.

And thunderous sounds of stomps did join along with growing thrum
That pounded louder ever like approaching warring drum.
And distant roars began to cry across those gathered near
That added deep in hearts of men to stoke their current fears.

Then sudden over ridge there crest a rider spurring steed
With only single arm he reigned the beast in mighty deed.
In front of man a boy was sat his arms around him held
With bow in hand and arrow drawn at something great beheld

A tribe of oni's chasing men their giant frames now bent
By pounding legs across the ground their massive bulk was sent
With foaming mouths and gnashing teeth and yellow bloodshot eyes
Did show what act the men performed when will of beast they pair defied.

From midst of ranks the archers came to draw their bows on beast
Then sudden gen'ral shouted stop and bid their bows to ease
At current time the monster's saw not men who laid the siege
And if they did he surely knew their ranks that day would grieve.

So boy and man now onward rode to walls of fortress held
Where ranks of foes of warring clan in highest numbers dwelled.
And archers 'top the walls began to fire their deadly darts
To practice 'gainst the dreadful beast their ancient killing arts.

But follies made and beast do turn to face the fortress gates
And bellow loud at top of lungs that's filled with awful hate.
Toward the walls they turn and march their clubs now raised to sky
To swing with all the might in arms at place their foes now lie.