The Blight and the Knight (2022, Poetry)

 The Blight

Deep within

Hides the most evil of monsters

A hideous,

A dark,

A vile,

Truly despicable beast;

The Blight

In the bowels of my body

Entrenched in the confines of my mind

Tendrils plunging into my soul

The Blight stows away

Petulantly festering

A hideous aberration, a cancer of the spirit

Stubbornly rooted

It is a creature of paradox

Engorging itself in the desecration of its host

Desperately staving off its destruction by ensuring its inevitable demise

Angry and cruel, 

It lashes out and spits venom  

Timid and ineffectual,

It folds and holds its tongue

Arrogant and aloof,

It sees all as beneath it

Insecure and jealous,

It envies all it does not have

Reckless and oblivious,

It sees no danger and recognizes no consequences

Wary and analyzing,

Its thoughts paralyze it from action

Vindictive and spiteful,

It seeks revenge for every grudge

Forgiving and lenient,

It is bound to be hurt again and again

Transparent and spilling,

It overshares to all who will listen

Reluctant and guarded,

It reveals nothing to anyone

Above all, it is a spineless being of limitless indulgence

Harboring a grotesque appetite

There is no luxury nor comfort it will not attempt to satiate

Consumed by desire and lust

Fleeing from the slightest discomfort

The antithesis of discipline and restraint

So is the nature of the Blight

The most persistent of enemies, pervasive of foes

A hydra who rears a new head for every one destroyed

Though destroyed it must be

But whom to slay it?

***

The Knight

Deep within

Stands the most noble of protectors

A refined,

A gleaming,

An honorable,

Truly virtuous figure;

The Knight

In the sanctum of my body

Fortified in the citadel of my mind

Shield sheltering my soul

The Knight unflinchingly guards

Proudly watching

A chivalrous paladin, a liberator of the spirit

Firmly dedicated

He is a warrior of harmony

Strengthening himself in defense of his charge

Ensuring his salvation through war on his foe

Jolly and benevolent, 

He lifts the spirits of those around him  

Firm and competent,

He stands his ground and stands by his word

Humble and empathetic,

He sees all as his peers

Comfortable and content,

He desires nothing from others

Careful and mindful,

He acts with wisdom and purpose

Confident and passionate,

His intuition guides him to victory

Magnanimous and compassionate,

He lets bygones be bygones

Dignified and prudent,

He will not suffer repeated injustice

Relatable and honest,

He holds no shame for who he is

Judicious and unobtrusive,

He listens more than he speaks

Above all, he is a bold champion of firm discipline

Built of an iron will

No vice nor temptation daunts him

Exercising only restraint and moderation

Eagerly facing struggle and adversity

The antithesis of lethargy and indulgence

So is the nature of the Knight

The most determined of guardians, inescapable of wardens

A sentinel who takes two steps forward for every step he is pushed back

And his mortal enemy

Will be slain by his sword