No One Escapes

a soldier dies on foreign soil regardless how the just might toil the eons pass but man cannot break free upon a barren mountaintop the incantations never stop as mystic mantras pray for remedy a tyrant gains the upper hand to face the anger he has fanned when mobs arise to tally up the score the prince and pauper are the same at last they find the end of pain as death descends to close the final door still tears fall from the poet's ghost he did his best and more than most to lift the hopes of those he may have met but life is like a game of chess we make a move we take a guess and no one ever gets a second bet the garden of Gethsemane where Jesus wept and made his plea is silent as the lonely April moon now terror wanders every street the hand of mercy out of reach like memories of a long forgotten tune the orbits where the planets spin forget the tales that might have been and legacy recedes like restless tide so every man must die alone no one to bear his body home our destiny awaits where stars abide the lessons of philosophy have tried to set our spirits free but lose their way in ignorance and greed and yet the righteous don't give up but raise again a sacred cup for better soil to sow a hopeful seed