(Read Part I, Part II, Part III, Part IV.)

As sorry swords found themselves being unwound
Blue’s body bloomed out of the ground.
It leapt into his soul
And, finally whole,
Swept sliding souls into a bowl.

Blue thanked their host but was stubbornly most
Emphatic ’bout leaving no ghosts.
“GO WITH THE RIVER
LITTLE LIFE GIVER.”
Blue dove in with barely a shiver.

When swords wandered into lidded woods
Some things were understood:
You may come in by many routes
But none take you back out.
Forward’s the way in the woods.

Pick a petal
Of a flower,
If it settles
On the hour
Into nettles
Tall and towers
Overhead’ll
Power sour?
Melt your mettle?
Asking how or
What this threat’ll
Do or cower?
If it’ll let all
Loose or scour
One who picked a petal?

Illustration by RR.

(Read Part I, Part II and Part III.)

The woods crinkled up and gave one last command
That was almost impossibly grand –
“YOUR MIND AND YOUR HEART
MUST BE SPLIT APART
SO THAT THEIR BATTLE MAY START.”

Those swords that tried it, this terrible split,
Fell as they felt their souls quit.
It can be claimed
Heart and mind are the same
And can’t be separately aimed.

When swords wandered into lidded woods
Some things were understood:
From time to time you may be tricked,
But fool yourself and you’ll be licked.
Watch you as well as the woods.

They’re always there,
Love, Hope and Joy,
Forever ready to share.

Hate and Fear, too, are waiting to toy
With whatever you’ll graciously spare.

It’s on your cue,
All on your whim,
They’re waiting for you,
Not you for them.

(Read Part I and Part II.)

Haspun Woods loomed in beautiful gloom,
Few things are both tomb and womb.
Blue felt the order,
“BODY STAYS AT THE BORDER,”
And stepped out of himself no shorter.

Leaving bodies behind they each had to find
Their way by the think of their mind.
By drip-dropping of thought
They explored and they fought
Their way to being hard taught.

When swords wandered into lidded woods
Some things were understood:
Branches point but do not show the way,
Their roots give it away.
Dig deeper than the woods.

I’ll take my waffle
Without the awful
And just a double you.

(Read part I here.)

Leafy Queen Qroost dearly needed a boost
At the table of knights in her roost.
So she called on a few,
Including young Blue
To show just what they could do.

Haspun woods bent towards those willingly sent
To see how their souls were spent.
Most were all doubt
That they’d ever get out
But still stayed true to their route.

When swords wandered into lidded woods
Some things were understood:
The only way you might return
Is learn and learn and learn.
Still, you’ll always belong to those woods.