Bildungsroman Poems | Examples

Defeated In Sleep

it follows that 
     sharp slivers of time 
warp like wild geese reflected 
     across still water winging 
faces sway'd as wheat seas 
     pitied not by thresher's flail 

rictus hidden in a camera's eye 
fetus, elders left to die 

teach and learn as life grows short 
     moments gulped in forgotten days 
sun rays down 
     casting men without shadows 
tragedies in bildungsroman 
     of children innocent but heartless 

folded parchment in dustbins hidden 
blossoms thrive in ancient midden 

justice, honor, paean to the gods 
     distill down to cold control 
foreign tongues with open hands 
     empire's wall breached wide within 
and so, with prosody quicksilver fled 
     small words swallowed by larger mien 

I, deep sigh, with agon's leap 
fall back defeated in dreamless sleep...