CADET may mature to general,
RIPEN through life to lead, to vanquish, now eating
BREAD, drinking water, while burgeoning a
CREED in brain that will later marshal every farm and river for battle.
APRON strings? Coddling? Might they stymie this path? Would
UNDER-loving produce the martial spirit through unfulfilled desire? Or love
ALIKE confer the needed element, a belief in fighting’s duty? Is the warrior
FRUIT of nurture? Or fruit of what else?
BLASTs in battles, wounds, flesh exposed and
SKULLs laid bare in daylight may be his tutors, may school to
VAUNT defiance, to fire steadily, to not be a
LIEGE of death, even as death blossoms all around. Or: will he be a
FLYER? Win experience at altitude, shot at no less, yet on
CHIME, with bucking controls, press a button, release bombs, and fight back to base?
VALID paths of warriors now outstrip bronze age Hector or Achilles. Yet, the shimmery
LUMEN of glory still entices. Death still eats its tithe before time.
Note: my first four day effort (I’ve had a few threes). Trying for coherence across 16 random words imposes its own fascinations.
Wow, this is a good piece, David. Yes, it’s tricky pushing through one theme over three or more days’ worth of words, but it’s worth the try and you’ve discovered. And forces us to write a bit more strongly, I think – it’s easier to whip something off in a moment with the four basic words, in spite of their restrictions.
Thank you, Mike. Agree that it forces stronger engagement. I’ve been missing that. I think I need to force myself to work harder on the dailies or switch to multi day onces.