Duke of Milan

He works in the shadow with the light
It is impossible to tell his true intentions
For with the Duke of Milan
One can never know for sure
He is the gatekeeper to the king
The one which no one living
Has ever seen
The duke mitigates all things
For the benefit of what remains
From the olden days
Before the grave invasion
When the sparrows all were killed
That battalion of brave souls
Defending the castle from
Darkness outside
None survived this planned onslaught
But the kingdom was preserved
By the Duke of Milan
I always thought it curious that
He willed them all away
For why would the specter leave so abruptly
When the duke showed his face

These words I speak to you in confi-
Dence, that you will not betray
If I were you I would protect your
Impulse to remain circumspect; for
In the dungeon, it is said, that
Those once living are now undead
Devices that were installed there
Strip all life from those who care
To indulge in speculation
About the nature of the
Hesitation, that the Duke of
Milan may sometimes show
With regard to the ancient woes
Of the kingdom and its traitors true

The definition of mutiny has evolved
With time, to include even the subtlest
Rhyme; or suggestion that the king is
Not, who he claims to be
Times have changed, I say to thee
Between the lines of careful thought
Where riddles hide with urgency
What shall become of majesty
If the scaffolds are erected, in eaves
Of paranoia and withering faith
I place in you the terrible seed
A vision of our greatest need
In times of tampered testament and
Broken pact; the way forward shall
Involve no looking back

I'm sure it's nothing, my dearest friend
Though in my dreams I can't pretend
To be either right or wrong
Surely you have sensed the division
That resides inside these words so long

Tonight let's toast the lasting health
Of our monarch and our people's wealth
The meeting will be adjourned, as planned
A coat of arms for sacred lands
Passing down along the line
The troubles of another time
To honor the promise made
When our forebears gave
Their lives for us
A collection of scrolls and such
An inheritance, to ask as much
From divine dignity

A light turns on passing
From you to me, and
From me to you
You now know what is asked of you
In a folded paper, out of order
And out of time
Take care my friend
May you find your target
With a heart so soft and red
Sifting through the avenue
For an accomplice who
Can take these coins
Be swift and immediate; the
Clock has already begun to set
With the setting sun, and the
Way is won or lost tonight
The duke never sleeps; and
In his keep, is his grip
On the future