Warrior Stuck In The Oak

Warrior Stuck In The Oak
© Surazeus
2025 04 25

After he builds his house from turtle shells, 
Phoebus lounges in the field by the lake 
and chats with the warrior stuck in the oak 
who tells him with casual banter of flowers 
about his people slaughtered in their homes 
by people who claim his homeland as theirs. 

Pointing to the deer on the grassy hill, 
that perks its ears at the sound of his voice, 
Phoebus explains the need for conservation 
to protect the wilderness outside time 
from greedy men who build large factories 
which process tree nymphs into plastic toys. 

Somewhere over the rainbow of the mind 
where people live in peaceful paradise, 
Phoebus lounges in temple of dead gods, 
and enters numbers in spreadsheet of faith 
to calculate high return of investment 
within the framework of oppressive laws. 

If the sun gleams elegantly through pines 
with brilliant beams that stripe shadows on lawns, 
Phoebus will know why the cave dragon cries 
since Beowulf stole all his hard-earned gold 
he saved after working for forty years 
assembling car engines in factories. 

Startled by the woman with seven eyes 
who rises from muddy swamp of pretense, 
Phoebus invites her to drink sugared tea, 
so they chat about arrogance of power 
when the ambitious man steals crown of thorns 
to prove with vain bluster he is not weak. 

The warrior stuck in oak of the blind eagle 
teaches prancing fauns how to build bridges 
which bind our lonely hearts with charity 
to help the downtrodden and vulnerable 
with funds from nonprofit societies 
as businessmen chop off the hands of singers. 

Screaming sweets songs into the void of fear 
that echo in Grand Canyon of weird faith, 
Phoebus decides to run for President 
as wise descendant of Henry the Lion 
who plays chaste ballads of romantic love 
for his bride Eleanor of Aquitaine. 

Limping across the field for soccer games, 
Phoebus declares he is no Oedipus 
doomed to fall in love with his graceful mother 
who wanders in the mists of Avalon 
till she births birth to me in Oregon 
where I am the warrior stuck in the oak.