Clarity Of Fright

The fear before the fight is Oden’s mana,
ill-omened sounds conspire – signs
resounding out fantasies too real, souring
juices gathered in the guts and pissing,
far too frequent to requite a bladder
drowned, the loose saliva swallowed down
as mantra much repeated, swallowed, spat
to mark the dusty ground, the sweep of fleeting
focus shattered, the clarity of fright that rivets
strength amid the sheets of sheer unravelled
terror, raw and anxious fervours are replete,
dread and fear for severed life abounds.

The leader sings a chorus in a voice of
awesome power. His tunic gleams, the
leather shines, his helmet towers. He draws
the focus back together – we are sharp,
we are steel, we stand unbroken here together,
we will fight them here forever.
Now!
Our willing swords all ring with
chilling hunger as they
swing together,
we are sharp,
we are steel…
© I.D. Carswell 2006