Love Poem: Victima Rationis
Max Bardus Avatar
Written by: Max Bardus

Victima Rationis

I.
Darkness--utter darkness
Lights
Artificial
(I know the feeling)
Shining like a champion over an enemy
Or rather a enemy which defeats you by losing.
Do I dare pour myself into this?
Do I dare?
Basil Hallward points and stares
His picture has too much of me.
I have lost my reason 
Like Don Quixote
Living in a fantasy
Chanting victimae paschalis
I am the great and courageous knight
I myself am the victim.

II.
Deathbed conversion
Like none other.
I awake-- to experience a real resurrection
Death comes to us all; but the mighty
And courageous knight
Defeats that old foe with swords as thin as paper
Lances as long as the brain can unwind
Fantasy-- with legends, saints and miracles-- poison like fever
No-- I am not a  great and noble knight
Zarathustra has spoken
Human--utter human
Imperfected beauty found within a shattered glass basket that smells a little like urine
Inter faces et urinam nascimur
It needs to be washed

III.
Who shall I give my kingdom to?
I spent my last twenty dollars on a bottle of booze
Dulcinea enters 
A haggard old witch
This isn’t the first time she has shunned me
My fight has just begun
If only I had won
If only I had one


Max Bardus