Culled
Burning bushes or tongs with fiery coals
Or foreheads hardened with flint or rivers to cross—
Words of rebuke to be spoken to wayward kings
Or dreams to tell to ones with power to kill—
Lions to face or lions to serve mistakes
Or queens to flee in moments of confusion—
Cisterns to imprison or spears to dodge
Or sons to be corrected of their shame—
And also a quiet little steward asked
To squire a quiet little sword-in-stone
Like who will be the one to whom it’s given
To blow a crater in the dried-up sands
of dried-up words
of devil dew—
_______