contemplative
haikujaguar is writing a series of science fiction short-short stories called "The Aphorisms of Kherishdar." One of the characters in the Kherishdar setting is the Emperor, Thirukedi. Something about him seems to inspire awe and reverence. The Ai-Naidar believe that each Emperor is the reincarnation of the original Thirukedi ... kind of like a lama. So I got to thinking about the founding days of Kherishdar, and wrote this poem. I'm putting it behind a cut because it's pretty long.The Light of Civilization
In the first days,
In the very first days,
I saw Him:
And the light was upon Him
And all about Him
So that His fur shone like the sun
And sweetness clung to the air
Where He passed,
Like scarves of incense.
Wherever He went,
The people put aside what they were doing,
Whatever they were doing:
For nothing was as important as following Him.
Already He was ancient and wise –
Eternally He was young and merry –
Like the sun that rode on His shoulders,
The source of life and light.
Where there was chaos,
He brought Order.
Where there was anarchy,
He brought Civilization.
Where there was wickedness,
He brought Law.
In time the world settled
And became peaceful.
At the end of the first days,
Those of us who walked behind Him
Despaired:
“How shall we go on without You?”
We said to Him.
“No one else can do what You have done!
Without You, all this will fall into ruin.”
Then He smiled,
And the light of His regard warmed us.
“Do not fear,” He said, “for I shall never leave you.
I shall return to you each generation,
As the sun rises anew each morning.”
And so it has been ever since,
The Light of Civilization always shining
To show us the way –
He who was old when the world was made,
He who will be young when the world ends –
So it was, so it is, so it ever shall be.
And I who walked behind him in the first days
Set down my words so they may reach the last days,
A mirror forever reflecting the sun.
July 7 2007, 07:11:17 UTC 13 years ago