While feasting and drinking
weapons lay unmanned
as the attack came swiftly
flipping the board with flash floods
hollowing the halls
swallowing the hoards.

Without moats
dug in preparation for the onslaught
horns began blasting their deafening mort
halting, shaking sitting ducks
in the firing-line
for a live fire final round.

   ashes to ashes
     mirrors burned to smoke on the ground

   brick by brick
     towering castles came crashing down

   dust to dust
     bodies returned in a soiled mound

Panacea drifts in a full circle
turning life-rafts into caskets
floating down the Nile
where suit-and-tie crocodiles salivate and wait
dislocated jaws spread
extended beyond greed or failure
  fervidly seeking to feed and savor
leaving our downstream drifting
reed-basket fate
in the same boat
// a replica //
of the devoured bread-basket savior.