Ten Thousand Empty Rooms

Ten Thousand Empty Rooms
© Surazeus
2018 11 24

Cracking mirror in the hall of white shadow,
last child of the clan that once ruled the world
shouts at the stone walls he cannot escape,
then runs to evade horror of the silence.

Roots of ancient trees crawl through mirror eyes
to clutch his heart with anguish of desire,
since all mysterious roads lead to the tower
where the blind woman sings to the deaf wind.

Tearing pages from one thousand old books
where deeds of his fathers are chronicled,
the nameless boy who cannot read the spells
feeds flames to warm ten thousand empty rooms.

Watching snow swirl around stone castle walls,
the young boy watches in the empty tower
for his father to return with the army,
then walks among dry skeletons who sing.

Kneeling at the fountain in the courtyard,
the boy stares at idol of his own face
reflected by the sun that never rises,
then drinks the sorrow of defeated pride.

Staring at the gold throne where the king sat,
the boy whispers in the castle of shadows,
"You promised to win the war and return,
but everyone died, so I am alone."

Wandering the castle of ten thousand rooms,
the nameless boy talks to the smiling skulls
about when they played games down by the river
at the feast of the harvest in gold sunset.

Digging into moist soil with his small hands,
the boy plants herbs and worts with seeds he found,
and whistles tunes he heard the angels sing
as birds flutter wings in white apple trees.