As lonely as the mountains peak,
I lie here in the dark,
With but the birds and winds to speak,
The lost, forgotten Stark.
My eyes, at first, refused to see,
A blinded cripple, now,
When fear passed eventually,
I saw again, somehow.
The roots that grew around my knees,
Gave power to my eyes,
They saw afar, through grounded trees,
The truth behind the lies.
For hidden, now, I’d walk unseen,
The paths of memory,
See things to come, and what has been,
A spy to history.
I see now how my brother died,
And watched my father fall,
I know now, too, the way he lied,
He promised, after all.
I saw the link in broken lines,
He hides too, dressed in black,
He failed, though, to read the signs,
And may not make it back.
My sisters, they hide faraway,
By changing name and face,
I see it, too, a wedding day,
And one who’d take her place.
My Mother now, I cannot see,
Through all the tears I cried,
She walks, but does not think of me,
For all but hate has died.
That fate, I know, is shared with mine,
To spend my life alone,
Here in the dark, to see and pine,
For all the ones I’d known.
No death will come to lay me down,
No kiss to bring me sleep,
No mothers arms, in which to drown,
No family to keep.
No horse to ride, no true glory,
No sons to bear my name,
No ending for my sad story,
No victor in this game.
No knighthood for this broken child,
No freedom from this place,
No legs with which to roam the wild,
No sunlight on my face.
No chance to explore foreign lands,
No hills for me to run,
No gentle touch, nor lovers hands,
No rest when life is done.
No tears to cry, though I would weep,
No lips upon my cheek,
No rest for me, no deepest sleep,
No strength when I feel weak.
No choice to die upon the floor,
This is the life you chose,
No, I don’t want this anymore,
That door you cannot close.
No death, no death, no dream so dear,
No light found in the dark,
No more, no more, no ears to hear,
The cries of Brandon Stark.
By All Men Must Rhyme
