The Traveller - 3

One hundred stars and a million sands,
Underneath my foot did I trample.
In search of the perfect fear, I travelled,
Lands and sea, Hills and mountains.

Brave cried, but I never did,
Men Died, but I never blinked.

In the lust of fear, did I travel, night and day,
In the search of fear, ages I wandered.
Dungeons and pillars never frightened me,
Nor did the fight with the bravest of men.

But curse the day, I met this man,
Oh, was he the devil incarnated?

"Why do you seek fear?", He asked me,
"I have never known one", I replied.
"How can you seek the unknown?", he questioned me,
I pondered, never to find a reason, why.

He stretched his hand and touched my heart,
And made me drink of his wine.

"I will tell you a story, to ease your mind
For, in turmoil you are, and are like a child".
His wine did sooth my mind, and his touch did calm.
But a feeling of repose and despair rose in my heart.

He started the tale, seated by the fire,
I listened, as the owls hooted and night came by.

Was it the story, or the wine I had,
For in the fire I saw my past.
The fire crackled, and ashes did fly,
As in the fire I saw my burning life.

I was a child, as I lay in the cradle,
Crying I lay in the cradle.

Was it a wolf that lay by me, Or was I dreaming,
For there lay a wolf besides the cradle,
Eyes of fire, burning bright, did it look back at me,
Please someone save the child, for a wolf lay besides me.

I had grown up, A boy I was.
And hills became my mates as I played along.

Was it a snake that I saw, or rush of waters,
As it crawled besides the boy, lost in his own world.
It did coil around, like water drowning the boy,
Oh please save the boy, for he is scared of water.

The boy was no more, A man stood instead.
In search of fear did he wander along, lands and sea.

In The fire did I see my self seated, next to the man I had seen,
As he stretched his hand, and touched my heart.
A feeling of despair ran through me, as he released the touch.
Oh for The Devil himself was He.

Hours later, I came out of the stupor.
But nothing remained, Just emptiness and fear.