Violent Battle Of Wits

Violent Battle Of Wits
© Surazeus
2025 01 04

While he lies lazily in warm sunlight 
among purple iris near olive trees, 
Gabriel dreams about beautiful Ishara 
who wears white gown and gold crown with sapphires 
while presiding in temple on the hill 
where people swear oaths she stamps with her ring. 

Startled from dream where he kisses Ishara, 
Gabriel jumps to his feet with grumpy shout, 
but bows when he sees grandfather Saggar 
who gives him rod and basket, then demands 
he bring seven fish home from diamond lake 
or else he can no longer eat at court. 

Feet stepping firmly on large egg-smooth stones, 
Gabriel wades in the swift ice-silver stream 
till he catches eight fish with graceful leaps, 
then strides jauntily along primrose path, 
but stops when Khemosh and his gang of thieves 
surround him with spears and demand his fish. 

Sneering haughtily at the mountain lord, 
Gabriel twirls brass wand tipped with diamond blade 
to battle thieves who strike with sturdy wands 
of cedar and oak, but his breaks them all, 
so they writhe and groan from pain of his blows 
till Khemosh is forced to his knees at last. 

"Each person who expends soul energy 
to gather material from earthly store 
and process minerals to metals or glass, 
or harvests food crops they sowed with their hands, 
deserves rich reward for their honest work, 
but you steal their wealth, so you should be beaten." 

Whacking his head so he writhes in sharp pain, 
Gabriel leaves Khemosh and his gang of thieves 
groaning in agony, and returns home 
where Ninsun grills fish he brings on the altar, 
so he eats with Saggar, An, and Ishara 
while regaling them with his victory. 

Placing hand on shoulder of Gabriel, 
Saggar announces with solemnity, 
"Son of my sister, the time has now come 
for you to attend Academy of Scribes 
where you can learn the secret letter code 
used to record information with signs. 

Exclaiming joyfully with eager hope, 
Gabriel thanks the old mountain temple priest, 
bundles clothes and scrolls in his travel bag, 
then gazes wistful at pendant of brass 
stamped with face of his mother Goddess Laz 
whose eyes still gleam in his memories. 

Accepting bag of figs from sweet Ishara, 
Gabriel strolls down mountain trail to the plain, 
then joins long wagon train headed to Ur 
where he will attend Academy of Scribes, 
riding beside old woman with gray hair 
who offers him sweet juicy pear to eat. 

When Khemosh and his gang of greedy thieves 
surround the wagon train and demand coins, 
Gabriel runs forth to guard the wagon master, 
and laughs, "You snappy little cavern wolf 
ignored the lesson I taught you with pain, 
so you will die if you change not your ways." 

Clashing wands in violent battle of wits, 
which everyone watches in stunned amazement, 
Gabriel and Khemosh battle with fierce force, 
leaping and twirling as their two wands spark 
flash of honesty against arrogance, 
till Gabriel stabs diamond blade in his heart. 

Burying Khemosh under pile of stones, 
Gabriel travels on with the wagon train 
till they arrive in sprawling maze of Ur 
where he searches for Academy of Scribes, 
smiling with eager excitement of joy 
when he strides boldly through its sacred gates.