Life is the Life

Roused from decades of sepulchral slumber
By savage cannonades and rifle fire,
Departing the dark comfort of my tomb,
I roam a mad world ripped apart by war.

Venturing forth like a smoky blue veil
Wafting across this cratered countryside,
Searching for the base essence of being,
I am drawn to fields of lingering death.

Drifting amidst battle-broken bodies,
Ignoring agonizing cries of pain,
Invisible to dimming mortal eyes,
I harvest embers of vitality.

Finding a suitably ravaged vessel,
Sensing sustenance within battered flesh,
I drain lifeblood to feed this hungry soul;
A dying youth becomes my golden cup.

Energies flow from spirit to spirit,
Fuelling my ethereal existence.
Leaving behind the soldier's empty husk,
I retreat into deepening shadows
Revitalized.

(Originally published in The Monsters Next Door, Contest Issue 4.5, November 15, 2008)

Richard H. Fay is an author, artist, and home school dad who resides in Upstate New York. He is inspired by medieval history, myth, and legend, and the classics of fantasy literature. His diverse and interconnected interests drive his artistic endeavour. He writes fantasy prose and poetry, as well as dabbling in science fiction and horror. Recently he has decided to begin writing as more than just a sideline, although he has been writing seriously since the 1980s.

Find more by Richard H. Fay in the Author Index.

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