Justin Bordner Poet Crown of Sonnets

When Savages Sang Strongly 2

Destiny demands that we be the debtor 
that we sacrafice for the skin of our future,
We left the cradle of the Caucasuses to explore,
to plant the dreams of our Creator,
venturing into the virgin chaos
where the tiger tears apart the trespasser
We made the way, we made love with our Cause,
following the highway of the emerald pasture
from the Euxine to the shimmer of the Yellow Sea
finding war and wealth in the weight of adventure
subduing savages with frightening ferocity 
managing frontiers with a proud mercy,
leaving behind our blood's legacy
trading safety for salt, vanity for victory,

Trading safety for salt, vanity for victory
coming home to the Black Sea
introducing steel smelting and a taste for head hunting,
scalping Cimmerians with glee
assailing the Assyrians 
extorting Egyptians 
respected by Hellenes
dominating Asiatic Indians
cabletowing Celts
and pouncing on Persians,
Phoenicians filled their boats 
with exotic Scythian goods,
We were collectors of civilised throats,
our empire needs no roads

Our empire needs no roads,
Saka, Sauromatae, Massagatae, Tocharians, Scythians
We are One, ancient craftsmen and warlords,
our women were the Amazons
Cauterized breast and soldier slayers
Tomyris taught Cyrus
that bloodbaths belong to the losers,
the Scythian wilderness of war jeered Darius,
Zopyrion was made carrion 
Alexander wisely just carried on,
to the Romans we were Sarmatian and Hun
Scythes being ancestors to the Gothic Confederation,
a culture canvassing the breadth of all civilization
migrating ever westward into the echo of the sun,

Migrating ever westward into the echo of the sun
bringing our wagons, warcraft, and women
custom of the blood oath quietly open
the wine, and honest blood spun
the two of us swearing in between a lifelong stare
will you be there
when I'm scared,
will you care
when death is there,
will you wait for me
when the war barks near,
will you honor me
when the fire becomes just a whisper,
our oath is our soul keeping

J.A.B.  2020

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Ink Empress September 2, 2026 at 10:17 AM A walking breathing encyclopedia!!!your mind is so attractive! And I am obsessed with reading you! I see your skills alive ~ Ah! Pleasure reading you Sending you light always Justin Bordner September 5, 2026 at 8:37 AM Poetry and History are ancient companions...

Ink Empress September 2, 2026 at 10:16 AM "the two of us swearing in between a lifelong stare will you be there when I'm scared, will you care when death is there, will you wait for me when the war barks near, will you honor me when the fire becomes just a whisper, our oath is our soul keeping" Exactly what I want to say to you right now ~ and I would say yes! I love the clever nature of love expression here! You impress me like no other ~ the knowledge you home within you, can be felt through your poetry too! You are like Justin Bordner September 5, 2026 at 8:33 AM It was a custom with the ancient Scythians to take a blood oath with one's closest friend.

Ink Empress September 2, 2026 at 10:13 AM Tell me this is about us, ah! About distance death and endurance of it all, to overcome fear through courage and loyalty! Sounds Like the kind of Love I feel ~ for your poetry and your intelligence my Poet Man! Im impressed by the theme! And amidst the poetic techniques youv used here etc, I feel something, the main theme as " loyalty" and wht that means to you! I absolutely love also "We were collectors of civilised throats, our empire needs no roads" thats deep! Justin Bordner September 5, 2026 at 8:27 AM In many respects this is about the freedom of a Peoples Poetess, willpower and adventure...

Alesia Leach May 1, 2025 at 10:55 AM Justin, this is an anthem carved from iron and blood--an unflinching tribute to ancestral fire and untamed spirit. Your cadence is as relentless as the warriors you invoke, and the imagery roars with life. "Trading safety for salt, vanity for victory"--what a line! The oath in the final stanza struck me deepest: tender, raw, and eternal. This isn’t just poetry; it’s legacy sung aloud. With awe, Alesia Justin Bordner May 7, 2025 at 3:13 PM I belive you would have lived beaufully in this Epoch Poetess...J.A.B.

Laura Breidenthal January 2, 2021 at 5:13 AM You set up this piece so beautifully...and the oaths at the end are touching.. Those last two lines particularly memorable.."trading safety for salt, vanity for victory," also love that expression..always, Laura Justin Bordner January 2, 2021 at 5:44 PM As always beautiful Laura, you savor the best parts...I thank you for your beautiful mind...Justin