Umber

A summary in something resembling or akin to, but not exactly like, verse.

Chaos, chaos everywhere
and not a drop of law.
Even for such as we are
Entropy has its limits.
There is freedom.
There is pandemonium.
The wise man knows the difference.
So separately we came to Irongate
and together seek our fortune.   
Brought together by chance
the promise of profitable employment
and perhaps a little adventure.
Given a ship,
pointed at the ocean,
in search of the pirate Ramis.

But in times like these,
or perhaps in any times at all,
law hides within chaos,
and chaos within law.
The surface may be placid,
but the keel of a ship is riven
by what lies beneath.

Ignorance breeds suspicion
among the narrow-minded
And the prudent.
The wise man knows the difference.
So together we left Lucan,
and separately we asked our questions
Of the barmen and the shoremen,
of the cartographer and the harbormaster,
of the men on our newfound crew.

But in ages like these,
or perhaps in all the ages past,
Avarice swallows illumination
and fear dines on truth.
The shark may be sleeping,
but blood in the water alerts him,
and he swims to the feast.   

One in the crow’s nest
Two in the street
One chatting up the cook
Three trying to sleep.
He sees something up above
We hear something down below,
The shadow vanishes into shadow
But leaves a wet boot heel behind.
Some skulk in alleyways 
with no murderous intent.
Others bask in the sun
with knives tucked in their sleeves. 
And even the wise man
Does not always know the difference. 

But in days like these,
and perhaps in all the days to come,
The robber and the merchant
both sport patches on an eye.
When the harvest has mildewed,
wheat and chaff cling to each other 
even when the gales blow.

Sailing in the trade lanes
where the pirates take their plunder
with two unwelcome passengers
of unknown origin and duty.
An island, reconnaissance, guards and a battle
where some seek enlightenment
and others only death.
Now bind the enemies,
now bind the allies,
as the silent man whispers
we’ve no idea what we’ve done.

And at moments like these,
and in countless moments still to come,
one wishes for omniscience
or even a steadfast friend.