Sunday, June 12, 2011

bluthgelt's sayings


the village: iv: 
bluthgelt's sayings: i.


the taxman he thinks
that he's a big star like Death
with everyone fearing
his cold smelly breath
his ledger a scythe
his work one of taking
one could almost forgive him
for the mistake he is making
when out by the barn
he goes to my goldpile
and finds just a hole now
and a hand to help lie down
and a stone for a pillow
on top of his head:
Death vs. Taxes:
Taxman lies Dead.

ii:  bluthgelt was the baker:
     bluthgelt was a man
     now he lives Outside us
     as a killer of a man.
     still he does some service
     the Elder Council knows
     there are always some need killing :
     so they keep a killer dog close
     and when he spends his namesake
     at the tavern or the fair:
    no-one knows his name:
            to us he isn't there

iii
for he wears a Council token
of freedom and despair:
a coin of gold
        a red cross
             twisted in his beard.
held there by a ribbon
of nanometric steel:
'twill grow now with his beard hair,
   his madness
   and his fear
as he crouches in his rude hut
just outside the Ways
 waiting for the signal
 the Council sometimes makes
counting up his gold
           taxless, he is rich
         alone amongst the robins
       he yearns for a cold ditch
            to pitch his pale form into
            to strangle and to twitch
: but his heart it still beats strongly
there will be more years of this
           this lesson to the others
           that bluthgelt failed to learn:
           kill not of your neighbours
           or 
                forever
                              burn.

2009 Peter Greene.

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