Three

Thence they come, these thoughts again As I brood, on mind thus dimmed Fraught with doubt, crossed by light Naught but rout, mine sublime such night Shall I muse on love or war Fall on fuse or seek Paramour Laugh or cower in shadows of mire Caraf or bower or madness my sire... First is love, that Venus sin venal That gloves us, that makes great what might be menial Ye Gods that strike us and make us wonder What askance could discover, instead we blunder Next is war, to which we hasten, alight Vex't too far, we hurry, eyes red bright For what do we stand, for what reason we fall For lauds or bands, or glory for all Last is madness, that indefinable mount Fast it abandons, leaves a cur, a lout Yet while in this life it hobbles, in-famy arraigns In eternity recorded is all but fame William* knew love, was a master unmatched In his words our nature unmasked, unlatched Lee* was a genius, in a cause infamous The perfect warrior, strong-gentle-just Poe* was a daemon, Pandora, of dark Yet lauded after, today our 'Goth' art Which embodiment was true, was pure? Which could you most admire, follow, ENDURE? Could you follow if combin'd in all As Dumas* once quipped, one for all? What human could be them, combine in power Would he be tyrant, belov'd?-Sought?-cowered? Was he Alexander, of whom knowledge bereft Was he then Caesar, Cleo*-love, General, Epilept*? I know not who embodied - genii* of three Yet at some point existed this man, tri-breed I know which of these I am, maybe Yet which one are ye, God damned though may be if needs must decree ye must be choose from these distinct sep-equal* three. * Notes William - William Shakespeare Lee - Robert E. Lee Poe - Edgar Allan Poe Dumas - Alexandre Dumas Cleo - Cleopatra Epilept - Epileptic Genii - distinctive character or spirit, as of a nation, period, or language (plural) *Sep-equal - Separate but equal