rust rimmed eyes
crusted over with indifference
to the plight of souls

but never before had she
seen so clearly
the man in the wake of
the scorched earth

so clearly
even with rust flakes
swimming in the crosshairs
of her vision, scabbing her corneas
diluting her irises

she saw for the first time
how one man can
transcend the rungs to
heaven in a seamless bound and
steal away the starry crown

no sacrifice to make
one man a god
and a god many men.

no sacrifice except the rusty
blood clouding her eyesight
and the rapier through her heart

(well, wasn’t it worth it in the end?)

blood unto blood, water unto water,
and so a man reaps what he sows.