Arrogance

  • I feel alive

    Only when I’m fighting.

    They tell me I’m too confident,

    Bah! Fools, all of them.

    My blade spins, a whirling

    circle of light, turning

    and twisting, the silver

    holding hands with crimson

    that rushes forth.

    Even my shield, when I’m forced

    to use such a useless thing,

    is a part of my unstoppable

    offense.

     

    I feel more than mortal,

    Humans being ants in front of me.

    Their lives hurl by in a flash of light and sound,

    I pay them no regard.

     

    My two blades, twirling to meet flesh,

    coaxing out red blood, giving me the

    power, making me a force of

    pure rage.

     

    I look my prey in the eyes,

    sensing the fear.

    I spring forward, he falls back,

    and my blade ends him.

     

    Another one, another fool?

    Who is he to challenge me?

    I give a confident smirk,

    knowing his life will soon be

    cut short.

     

    I step forth, and slip on a loose

    pebble, slick with mist.

     

    Shock invades my mind.

    My wrist hits the ground,

    Snap!, It breaks.

     

    My sword falling forward,

    a shield my savior,

    if only I had one.

     

    The man steps forward,

    Spits, and ends it all,

    With a single swipe of his sword.

    My mistakes…

    My arrogance…

     

    I leave this world, and I see myself cast in cold, stark reality.

    May I find a more humble beginning, in this warm place

    of endings.

Comments

13 Comments
  • Lyall
    Lyall   ·  March 11, 2016
    Thanks Phil! I was a bit worried that I made it too.... sudden, too fast a change of pace, you know? But apparently it was fine. 
  • Paws
    Paws   ·  March 11, 2016
    I leave this world, and I see myself cast in cold, stark reality.
    May I find a more humble beginning, in this warm place
    of endings.

    This speaks to me. Very, very cool.
  • Lyall
    Lyall   ·  March 8, 2016
    Ohhh... Pride is kind of similar to this, with a few differences, but greed is a good idea! Thanks!
  • WuYiXiang
    WuYiXiang   ·  March 8, 2016
    Might I suggest on overabundance of greed for another? Or perhaps an excess of Pride?
  • Lyall
    Lyall   ·  March 8, 2016
    @Sotek That's the idea for this story. That, and when this exact thing happened to me in Requiem (Modded Skyrim)
    @Wu I was thinking of those type of flaws to explore in poetry, and overconfidence just seemed like the natural one. Thanks!
  • WuYiXiang
    WuYiXiang   ·  March 8, 2016
    This happens all the time. Overconfidence is deadliest of all, for it opens up the path for carelessness.
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  March 8, 2016
    The day will always come along when you are a bit slower or your opponent is just a bit faster, or you are just plain unlucky...
    Aruzzel...........
  • Lyall
    Lyall   ·  March 8, 2016
    Thanks! 
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  March 8, 2016
    You know, I thought guy too.
    Good poem, Lyall. 
  • Lyall
    Lyall   ·  March 8, 2016
    XD Well, you can't spell humiliation with humility. I mean, you can, but not without a big chunk of it.