The First Leaf Falls

Wary but for a moment the king saw
The boy was pure of soul and heart
Into the morn the two roamed the woods
As they spoke of why he’d come to their world

Time now to rise
Bring on the demise
From the tyrant who waltzes on my people’s graves
The scalding hot chains
That cause my people pain
I will overthrow him, the tyrant who enslaves

Someone is nearing us, king
Some worried critters warned
No time left to waste
The boy repeated

King listen, believe me please
It is what I’ve been told
Your tale is centuries old
A cycle of winter and spring
Won’t stop if you to hate cling
For everyone’s sake stop
Stop, drop that sword

Brook, beast, and bine
All nurslings of mine
Do you wish me to risk them being put to death?
To confer, to speak
With someone who seeks
For my people’s enslavement and my final breath?

Words burned the boy's heart like ice
How could the king not see?
That fighting would not lead anywhere

Then all covered behind their king
As winter’s army barged forth
No time for cautious thought
Again, the paths of the kings crossed
It seemed that all hope was lost

As moments passed, oh, so haltingly
The world seemed to creep, achingly
A heavy calm before an oncoming storm

The boy, his heart reached out for the lords
For hands to meet, and not swords
But his voice drowned in the cries
As the fuming frost king charged

The boy’s sweet cry stopped the king in his stride
His fury, flown in awe of what had met his eye
He was struck a blow so great
In shock, he fled, undignified

Oh, kings won’t you see, he called
The pain you both bring about
Your hearts, oh so devout
And it’s all in your hands to end
Turn enemy into friend
For everyone’s sake stop