Velor's Vision

i.
Solstise wants to ask
if you’ve seen the cabaret 
that blew away from her
when the stars 
burned down the sky.

Velor has only seen orange
since the day has passed
and a bright tangerine at that.

But who’s to say we’re
not all to blame? 

ii.
Gangolath sends his armies
all adorned with metal shoes
that clank and clack when they walk.

But all they can do is stomp
and watch the graceful spirits
meld around them.

And thus war turns to art.

iii.
A walk is all Velor wants,
but it’s more than he’ll get
and less than he’ll have.

And with protruding lower lip
comes a feast too easy to give up.

And they say these floors are new,
but he sees the scratches.

iv.
Once when the fair Solstice had wrapped
her stencil arms around the banister,
closing her eyes (much like Ballista,
whose tail is flicking now)
to listen to the music, 
she thought she
heard voices
from down
the hall.
And
they
whispered
the chords of
harps that hung
in the air like a balance
of those cold icicle nights
and the warmth of an embrace
that shatters everything—but silence. 

v.
Velor studies into the library pages,
comparing font and cover weave
but he never reads a word.

Gangolath laughs and rips
the pages from his hand,
some fly over the table
(some land on Ballista,
who rolls over in earnest)
to where Velor sits.

Gangolath laughs
but words
are unknown.

vi.
From the weather-worn armchair
comes a cloud that speaks of times
when one could close one’s eyes
and conjure anything
but the warmth of a hand.

vii.
The tarnished hearts 
still ring the same
as they did in Rome,
but they have tarnished by different tears
which colors them differently,
and make them sparkle in Solstise’s eyes.

viii.
Quashed pumpkins sag
leering gooey glares at Velor,
while Gangolath stuffs his face
with Thanksgiving pie
while no praises are called
to the soil.

ix.
Velor tries a night without sight
so he hears what he dreaded most–
absolute silence. That draws
him in even as he draws
the atmosphere in in a breath.

But Ballista (whose claws have had practice)
pads the ground
shadow in the night,
teeth in hand,
sinewy muscle
pushing the world away,
pushing the stars astray.