3. Hail the Queen
The dawning of what we called Era #1 was sad and bloody
we lost many friends and family those days to beyond-the-wall
beyond-the-wall is a new term people use for everything
the feeling of love and attachment to what we still have
there is no more sex in our society except when it’s illicit
I believed in The Queen like we all did when we turned away
we showed our backs to the eaters knowing they were gone
if we stopped believing in them they’d go away from us
so we focus on some of those I’ve seen outside the Mall Palace
pleading wailers and bleeding aborters is all they are anyway
that’s what they said but I’ve been down there before and I know
the truth of the suffering holdouts and the hope they have
the hope that we could come together new from the rubble
I have the same hope but I know the future in what I will do
Era #1 must crash to an end like the Second World War
and we will parade the Queen’s Head around and into the fire.
I must do it out in the courtyard so everyone can see
at the Year 6 celebration whenever that is I will stab her
day and night’s difference means nothing to us anymore
we are off the calendar now as the Queen dictates the date
dawn and dusk are both dead is something we say now
“Just like everyone else!” is a chant often raised in taverns
Civilization’s over and everyone’s already dead so what?
this is symbolized by question marks in every sad alley
Angelica tells us it’s time for the dawning of Year 6!
she opens the liquor stores to a great rush of people
but less great than expected and horror drapes her face
for as she turns to me a shiv goes into her stomach
the crowd gasps and tries to erupt but no one is sad or mad
the multitude move as a great whooshing gust of flesh
so I raise my reddened hand holding a blade above the crowd
“SHE’S DEAD!” screaming and expecting a rousing cheer
instead the silence was stark as it set out over the shuffling mass.
the rousing cheer I’d inspired was angry and had a plan
I smile and welcome the dawning of a new day again