The Bargain

The path of those dedicated to justice

Is long and hard, and leads to many strange places

And deep sacrifices

I remember so well

That day of oath-swearing,

That day of fealty.

Dreamlike, I flew

Into the realm of my lord,

Past hills full of herders leading their cattle

And saw bubbling pits spewing forth alphabets

Into channels of liquid letters, running into the great

Word-forges.  There satyrs hasten busily to keep

The speech vats from overflowing.

Here a pot of “but’s” and “if’s” seethes and nearly

Spills onto the floor. 

Meanwhile, another satyr spun molten letters

Into beautiful words – custom ordered for the best poets!

But my feet hastened onwards despite my lingering gaze,

And I entered the great palace – elysian home

For all departed poets, lawyers, philologists, and misers.

Flitting about ceaselessly in argument, debate, and conversation.

I caught only snatches of their talk

And was suddenly propelled into the presence of Mercury himself.

It all happened so quickly!

The bargain struck, the staff kissed,

And I was on my way home.

How then can I be at a loss for words?

False trickster!  He betrayed me -

I sold him my soul in consideration

Where then is the performance?

Or perhaps I am the betrayer,

Having so long acted the part of slave

To rival Venus.