no

I did not need a mirror to see my blood
deserting its own artery for another
nor did I need my flesh flaking
in the view of the public
at the sound of this name
or that

the quest?

I need it
to give my soldiers their Caligula
someone to follow to their death
with eyes tightly shut
and fingers clenched to their swords
a pair of cracked lips to sip wine with
from rusty pateras
in the early hours of dawn
before the enemy strikes

my hands?

oh, my hands are innocent
the left will caress young Jew hair
the right will carry on
playing Bach