Poem by Parrish Young

The Sea of Sightless Serpents

The piety of one who rules
Is punctuated by a throng of fools
Who babble about with serpent tongues
Persecuting the righteous ones
Who answered the call of sword and steel
Who worked their hands raw for every meal
I am the one who rules
The man who swims in the sea of fools
Gently though, I do not thrash or flail
For I know the mind, spirit, body
I know how soft and supple skin is
How brittle bones can be
My heart thumps like my mind
Vivid and real for all to see
As I patiently sit atop my throne
I finally am free
Free to breathe and navigate the sea
Because when I come ashore
There is only me