Tempered
like badly heated steel
I feel unfinished
somewhat diminished.

Yet if I like
I can strike and cut
but
it serves me well
to remember
my enemies may meet me in hell
come December.
I lock into the embrace
between the race
Of dragons and slayers
a soothsayer said
'pay no heed to the dead'
I paid no heed to her
no need to share
Scare me with tales
of wailing souls.

Poles apart from the start of it
I break the steel or a part of it
and blame
the blacksmith.