The Jabberwock

As peaceful as a dove,

the prologue to life arrives,

built by a kind love

with stories bound to fill archives. 4

The young hero shines like a diamond stud,

yet to know a world of rage,

but would soon see the diffusion of blood—

a story of how ink meets the page. 8

Hazy memories of innocence

lost in the midst of war,

straying away from harmlessness,

the violence his new amor. 12

Undergoing perilous trials

to reach new heights,

but— is the triumph worthwhile 

when any could be the one hiding knives 16

Riddled with paranoia,

hard to determine what’s real or fake—

relentless searching grants metanoia,

deciding a fight against all odds is a risk he’s willing to take. 20

A battle untold,

fighting till sunrise.

He watches his tale unfold

as a glint of silver meets his eyes. 24

A resounding cry fills the air

The sound of renewal is unquestionable.

A plea for others to beware,

death is inevitable. 28

This life won’t be replayed

but a new cycle will start once more.

Rejoice while it’s still an option,

for a new hero has been born. 32

MESSAGE FROM THE AUTHOR:

“Like most things I write, this poem came from a scrapped one I had in my notes app. I started off with the title, Memento Mori. It’s a phrase I’ve heard and seen in passing in shows I’ve watched and I remembered it while I was writing. “Memento Mori” means “remember to die” in Latin. The phrase conveys the importance of death being inevitable, which contributed to me using life as a theme. The poem starts and ends with birth, going through the life of a hero who stays in battle and develops a complex where he can’t trust anyone after growing in strength. “Memento Mori” is a pretty morbid phrase, but I think it’s important because nothing is guaranteed in life.”