the stained oak leaves
- mari ness
He writes his story on oak leaves,
using dragon's blood. This will
let his story sing, he thinks:
let the words sink into human flesh.
Maidens will chant his name. He blows
upon the leaves, to dry the blood,
and to send the leaves sailing
into the wind. His fingers tremble.
The leaves have cut his palms:
his blood mingles
with the dragon's.
Another breath, and the scattered leaves
take flight. The poet falls. The leaves
rushed by the wind, find themselves
strewn on trees and earth and water,
swirled down a sluggish river,
fallen beneath the heavy water,
sliding towards the cracks
that hide between
the stones and mud.
Someplace down the river,
a girl kneels for a drink,
and hears, for a moment,
the cry of dragons,
and begins to croon a wordless song.
using dragon's blood. This will
let his story sing, he thinks:
let the words sink into human flesh.
Maidens will chant his name. He blows
upon the leaves, to dry the blood,
and to send the leaves sailing
into the wind. His fingers tremble.
The leaves have cut his palms:
his blood mingles
with the dragon's.
Another breath, and the scattered leaves
take flight. The poet falls. The leaves
rushed by the wind, find themselves
strewn on trees and earth and water,
swirled down a sluggish river,
fallen beneath the heavy water,
sliding towards the cracks
that hide between
the stones and mud.
Someplace down the river,
a girl kneels for a drink,
and hears, for a moment,
the cry of dragons,
and begins to croon a wordless song.
Mari Ness has published fiction and poetry in Tor.com, Clarkesworld, Lightspeed, Daily Science Fiction, Fireside, Apex, Uncanny, Strange Horizons, and more. She lives in central Florida. For more, check out her official blog at marikness.wordpress.com, or follow her on Twitter @mari_ness.