Pale Of Haven Walls

Pale Of Haven Walls
© Surazeus
2026 06 28

Strange silence of hopeless sorrow screams softly 
from bright green grass that glows nuclear yellow 
through searing arbitrariness of light 
that strips illusions of self-worth away 
till I stand naked in shadow of hope 
and listen for murmur of river waves. 

When farmers gang up and surround the cow 
because cow woman will not give them milk, 
and she flees terrified into dark woods 
as they drag her cow away with tight rope, 
I ask them why they are stealing her cow 
and whack them on the legs with wand of truth. 

While lounging with her cow by sparkling stream, 
swatting at swarms of flies around my face, 
I call to woman crouched behind thick trees 
who runs at me with stick to strike my head, 
but I explain how I rescued her cow 
and chased the gang of thieves back to their farms. 

Clutching my arm with anguish in her eyes, 
cow woman with tangled hair begs for help 
to protect her from farmers and their wives 
because they keep trying to steal her milk cow 
since all their cows died from some strange disease, 
so I comfort her with assurance of aid. 

Erecting twelve poles of trees I stripe bare, 
I design and build haven of strong walls 
to enclose sacred pale where she can dwell 
safe from clandestine night-attacks of thieves, 
so she tends the cow with tender affection 
while I keep watch in the tower all day. 

Expanding wider pale of haven walls 
to surround pool of fish the river forms, 
I build tall mound where she can sleep at night 
hidden safe from both cold winds and hot waves, 
then plant grove of apple trees on its shore 
where she can tend garden of vegetables. 

Having built paradise of sturdy walls 
where she raises five children of our hope, 
I relax in tower of watch with sons 
who listen to my teachings about rules 
for managing affairs with crafting hands 
so they can create instead of destroy. 

Strolling around strong walls of paradise 
to clear away brush and repair wood planks, 
I find myself surrounded by old farmers, 
the same whose legs I bruised with wand of truth, 
who stab my chest with long fear-sharpened spear, 
so cow woman holds me and cries with love.