Lives

Do you understand?
There are lives inside
The wild days
Of the wild fields,
Of the wildly growing
Weeds outside.
There are demons
Climbing the walls
Of my skin.
And serpents crawling
Down the aisles
Of my old mind.

For I was here before,
Long time ago.
Born in the body
Of an eagle king.
My palace had pillars
Of freedom and
My fields were full with silver.
I drew no envy,
Called no wrath,
My treasure was
Hidden away
In the sky.
In my times
There was no war.
My soldiers were poets,
Painters and scores
Of blessed women.
And my courtiers
Sang and laughed and soared
To perform a dance of lore.
I had a lover I took to bed,
The only one I took to death.
I loved her till I loved no more
But abandoned her
For a greater love before
Other forces took over
The kingdom of wings.

Then in one life
I was born a slave.
In the other
A soldier with arms.
I overtook the master
And killed my enemies.
So now I overthrow my shame,
Of incestuous hours,
And swindling pleasures
And new figures
Touched upon.
Of the penny I stole,
The child I killed,
Of the death I saw
In drying lawn.
Then I saw some faces
Unmasked and bare.
Took a diversion
To somewhere
And landed in a dream
With shining love,
With flowing wine
And stars above.

I awake after ages
In the next one
To walk up the stairs
Of the heaven of smoke.
And I trip
Several times over
Before I let go.