Scott MacLeod

The devastation of Anzuhaltenes (excerpt)

And so we prepare to fight in exchange for this earth.
For when we are alone we can
only be made happy by killing.
Thus women become polluted by violence
of men, and from these degradations come
unwanted progeny. This unwanted increase
causes hellish corruption, an evil aura I feel limbs
of my body quivering and my mouth drying up.
My whole body is trembling, my hair standing
on end, my bow slipping from my hand,
and my skin is burning. I am now unable to desire
any subsequent happiness. My arc slips
my hand and burns, not now to be held
here longer. I forget myself, have just destroyed
my clean kinsmen in this battle, now sadness
nor later happiness trembling and opening
my body upward trembles, hair at the end,
my elbow vouchers with my hand r,
and my skin burns here and my spirit whirls.
I see only causes of misfortune, not see
how requiring, like each possible good box,
my destroyed newer luck can create
components upwards of mine tremblante
opening body that shakes my bonds.