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Plain Truth Led by the King of Lies, Toppling battlements barely manned, Calling default surprise. Village and villa, to jackal jaws, Fell, and were fed upon; And few perceived, amid panic's claws, What guardian had gone. Stunned marble capitals dominoed, Each stile, a broken tooth. "What can contain us?" the Black King crowed. "--The Warrior of Truth." Astonished by such a brash reply, He spun to spear its source: A grey face mocking his, eye for eye, Though words winced out, blood-hoarse. Just some old man. The conqueror roared, Amused by this assay. "So where gleams this epic savior-sword?" Send forth your chevalier!" The elder rasped, "You will find him--there!" And let his gesture guide: "A plain among peaks...--Climb, if you dare..." His arm dropped, and he died. The crowned face frowned at this counterblow, Scowled up impending crags, "Let us find this champion's plateau, And slay such rebel brags." Up rock ranges, he urged dreg legions, Though mists soon masked all view, Curses groping for level regions, Craving the summit coup. Finally, cohorts close to balking, Bravado thinned with strain, A rare breeze banished their blind stalking: There spread that promised plain! Such an eerie, island-like expanse, So strangely creased and grooved, Terrain that teased the attention glance, Where nothing stood nor moved. The shock troop basked like a crocodile; Smug laughter shook their spears. Strutting their glee up this unbarred aisle, They unfurled bannered jeers: "Come out, stout knight of truth unbested, Come rout our cringing crew!" "Perhaps," their sovereign's sneer suggested, "His furlough's fallen due!" Prodding the air with taunts, parading Like ants across a cake, They paused...then felt, elation fading, The plain begin to shake. Suddenly, madly, army and all, The whole plain rose in air! --Lifting!...half hovering, summit-tall, As senses gaped, aware: A laugh--a thunderous laugh of youth! The sky smiled down, cloud-calm, As they met the Warrior of Truth... They were walking in his palm.
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