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Toddler tears, infant despair.
The grown-ups adopt their
Panic, and lose control
Rendering their children
Orphant in the darkness that
Absent adult calmness
Creates.

Short beds, cribs, toys
Scattered around;
Superman bedding and
Uncemented concrete in
Piles where peace once
Played with the
Peaceful.

Take these demolished dreams
And newborn nightmares.
Breathe life back into each
Bombed home.
Rebuild young
Hearts with their
Rubble.
Age is measured
by number of years
10, 20, 30
counted by your peers

you're born with a number
that sticks with you through life
you can't shake it off
no matter the strife

you're labeled by worth
"how much money have you?"
not by your soul
or how far your heart flew

you're labeled in death
by the year that you died
not the life that you lived
or the tears that you cried

you get a number in prison
your name doesn't matter
for all that they care
you're another mad hatter

you're judged by your height
or the pounds that you weight
only those who are famous
are judged by what they say

so many numbers
and to you they are sown
judged by a number
and not the unknown
Odin, watch over my girl as she's sleeping.
Dry each tear that she fell asleep weeping.
Light candles in the windows of Valhalla's hall.
Hang paintings of her on its every wall.

Shield upon forearm, axe in my hand.
At the gates of Àsgarðr I finally stand.
Pour ale in my horn, say lad, you are late!
Fallen by foesword, arisen by faith.

Odin, as hard as the stone of your throne
Were Life and Love, even unalone.
Born as Lover, to worship and feel.
Grew into Warrior, wounds that won't heal

Now fester with thoughts of lovers and friends
That all remain stories; everything ends.
I look down at Miðgarðr, and long for it not.
Now life with the gods is all that I've got.

Odin, watch over my girl as she sleeps.
Be gentle when picking the memories she keeps.
The ones where my patience was tested, you burn.
But keep some regrets; we all need to learn.

Allow me inside, and let us begin.
Let's drink to the warmth of a woman's skin.
Let's drink to the soul of a Norseman saved.
I'm hanging with gods. Just dig me my grave.

— The End —