At the end, his mind was cast To where it all began. Upon the field of muster, Callow youth and wolfish men. Rattle drum and sergeant’s shout Entreating them to join. In each man a hunger, Some for glory, all for coin For want of silver drove them To risk life for distant kings. Brazen Mars plays on men’s hearts, Solemn Pluto holds the strings. In his head danced idle dreams Noble glory, lust for war The foe would cry for mercy The girls would cry for more So when news of the muster Reached the hamlet’s crumbling walls Spurned plow, quit stony soil And hastened to the call (refrain!) Across the field, proud veterans Drilled in ranks with deadly ease He envied them their purses Grown fat on all they’d seized Ugly work, such plunder, though In war, he’d be forgiven. No sin to commit vices Under auspices of heaven! (refrain!) At last he reached the ledger, Signed his fateful mark within. The officer arose and Cast his eyes over the men: “You sorry lot know nothing Of the hardships yet in store. But obey and you’ll find glory, God and prince call you to war!”

A shuddering breath, he awoke in the mud Eyes clouded with grit, mouth tasting of blood Smoke all around him, near deaf from the din, Dazed, he arose, tangled up in dead men. Witless and lost as the world spun around, Gaze came to rest on a helm on the ground, Dented and split in some savage attack. Battle raged round! Mem’ry came flooding back. Weeks of fast marches, long hours at drill, Knew chaos was coming, knew blood would be spilled. But under great hooves, amid sabers’ bright flash, Unblooded and green, the square had collapsed. One unhorsed rider, leg crudely askew, Now arose and advanced on the weaponless youth. Who stumbling back, tripped on some lifeless horse, But fell on a pistol, still clutched by a corpse. Desperate, he aimed, for the hammer was cocked Praying the barrel still carried its shot. But though the flint sparked, the pan fizzled and died And iron hands choked off the boy’s frantic cry! Fighting back panic, hands clamped ‘round his throat, Flailing, he dug for the knife in his coat Grasping the hilt, new resolve rose within The will to survive, to slay and to win . A gap in the cuirass, the blade plunged inside The rider exhaled with a rattling sigh Frothing blood poured with each laboring breath And losing his grip, he slumped into death. He stands, as reborn, blade and clothes running red As scavengers creep to the battlefield’s edge. The armies withdraw, and among the deceased, A humble priest kneels, grants the fallen their peace.

Wolves prowl closer They’ll reach the gates tonight, Hear howls borne upon the wind Seeking provisions For soldier, god and king Silver tongue in toothy grin The merchants say In towns along the armies’ way The winter stores are all but gone I fear today That all our labor laid away Will only feed this savage throng Soldiers fill the door, Fire crackles, ale is poured, Bedlam waiting until bidden Hungry eyes survey The youth marked a wary maid, To uncover all she’d hidden. As captain to his host Raised glass in mocking toast And bid them “furnish up a feast”. Emboldened by despair, Lest ladder be laid bare, The innkeep dared deny the beast Pretense now undone Sword drawn, the captain sprung Sent innkeep sprawling to the floor In naked delight He snarled to the night Words recited many times before: “Miserly peasants How cruel you to begrudge To my men, wounded, tired, cold” “By merciful god and By order of the crown We now lay claim to all you hold!”

A slight nod from the captain Now sealed the inn’s demise And soldiers set to motion Each according to his vice A paradise for scoundrels The greedy, coin to gain The lecherous to slake their lust The cruel to savor pain Amid the crashing tables, Folk fighting for the doors The youth set out to seize The girl he spied before But many shared his appetite: She was buxom, young and fair Though maid evaded grasping men He caught her by the hair The girl, wide-eyed, atremble Had crumpled to the floor When pressed to bare her riches Her glance betrayed a door He paused upon the threshold Sin’s portal gaping wide Then, thick with greed and hunger He thrust the girl inside His gaze sought some hidden stash Then froze in dumb surprise The maid had knelt before him A hand crept up his thigh Inflamed the urgent swelling Untied the straining lace One sweet hand promised pleasure, The other swung a blade She aimed for throat, but wayward knife Dug gash ‘cross his face His howling, flailing, iron grip Cut short her vain escape He dragged her back toward him Blind fury conquered lust A candlestick came to his hand Her winsome head to crush The savage blows continued Long after cries has ceased Her bone and brain commingled With crimson, dripped from cheek Lost and dream-like, deadened Awash in Mars’ flood He awoke to his reflection In the gore and spreading blood He knelt, lay claim her cradled pouch And weighed the price of sin: A pair of dented coppers A tarnished silver pin He stumbled from the doorway Clothes disheveled, splattered red The captain clapped his back and crowed “The young prick likes them dead!” The men all turned toward him Wracked by guilt and growing pride He stood, awaiting judgment And found envy in their eyes!

Soldiers stream in through the convent gates The fat prior’s protests resound As holy sisters, abased and exposed Tremble at the leers all around Father, before you stand soldiers of the faith Drained by this just and holy war Sisters, I beg you soothe their troubled flesh From the alms in your coffers, I beg coin Our blessed labors are honored today, God smiles and finances our campaign For the silver of the chalice, thank the christ For the golden icons, thank the saints These unhappy wives to a distant god Surely ache for their master’s embrace Show merciful care to both ugly and fair And find something to insert in his place A heretic town lies mere miles away, yet You profane your own lord’s holy home Poor misled wretches, so blinded by greed It will come at the cost of your soul Father, these riches you’ve piled here on Earth Mammon’s snares on the path to heaven’s hall Now render unto caesar that which is his Lest we render your souls unto god Raid the cellar, bring up the cheese and wine, From the belfry, cut down the brazen bells Heed not the pious bleatings of the sheep, This war-damned world’s already hell Smash the cloisters, rip leading from the panes Pile in the courtyard all you’ve found Torch the steeple, with holy whores have your way Let the smoke and the screams fill the town

So christian men send christian souls To join in Pluto’s feasts While Mars sets snares of glory And thus gives birth to beasts His heart exulting, he prowled the town, one wolf among the pack He smelled the smoke, he heard the screams, Beneath a sky fading to black They fled before him, through narrow streets, He drank the chaos of the night As thrilling as the battlefield, and not an enemy in sight! Amid delirious ecstasy Dancing shadows and flaming brands His lust exhausted, his satchel filled Raw destruction now at hand Sack the house Block the doors Toss the torch within Won’t be long Listen close ‘Til the pleas begin A door of hope With pikes arrayed When you can taste the fear Let them choose Death by flame Or death upon the spear! Remember when You were as them Your callow hand So keen to sign its mark But, rider slain You split the chains And found inferno Just waiting for a spark Peasant curs Soft and spineless Their wretchedness revealed Just like pigs Brought to slaughter, And so alike their squeals! Do you lament That uptight wench? Who’s was the face you saw Reflected in the gore? Before you killed, Would you have thrilled To see cathedrals burn When you were called to war? The savage captain, with dripping blade, Enflamed, assured, divine Appraised the youth, a hunter’s nod A salute to his own kind Drunk with pride he spied a feeble man Who time had beaten low Pitiless, deaf to cries for mercy He struck the final blow Alone, entranced, he came upon A tower, untouched, unrent Drawn by fate, he climbed it Step by step, ascendent From atop, exquisite scenes Layed out as gods must know: Flames rising from sacred pyres, The weak scattered below His pounding head grew quiet As fear and rage resigned A fearsome, proud conceit Caressed his frenzied mind: Free in strength, no slave to lies Of duty, god and king The whole town: a sacrifice, The night: a gift to him! Gutless youth extinguished, True glory now unfurled An avatar of conquest, The wolf astride the world!