You slipped in effortlessly on the day of waking flame 
Like Mars' quiet march 
A man of common name 
 
Hot embers in your eyes breached iron-clad walls 
A strike that stirred the moment 
A quiet lull enthralled 
 
Whispers between the falling ash, shared breaths in the thick of battle 
A lantern lit in no man's land 
At the victors' ball began the prattle 
 
A note. A note. Oh what a beautiful note. For eyes, for ears, for lips, for Elysium 
Carried on a river of melody 
I melted into the colors of your vision 
 
Beneath the ticking of yesterday's cannons my armor forgot its own weight 
Edges dulled and metal softened 
Opening at its gate 
 
Plates forged in survival fell like starlight at my feet 
There I stood unarmed and still 
Not yearning to retreat 
 
Wrapped up safely in the quiet pulse of your gentle presence 
A hand stretched out to anchor me 
Underneath your bright luminescence 
 
A look. A look. Oh what a beautiful look. One that hypnotizes hearts 
I followed shadows you called light 
Until the illusions fell apart 
 
Your presence was but waves on water below a waning moon 
And in a single silver cycle 
You hid our stars behind clouds I couldn't move 
 
I felt the fire before it spoke, its embers stirring a deep fracture  
And in that moment the smoke cleared 
Revealing your mercurial stature 
 
And like the moon your light shone bright but never stayed the same 
You pulled my sorrow like the tide 
Seized my armor and kept it for your gain 
 
A lesson. A lesson. Oh what an ugly lesson. That some doors should never open 
I gathered my iron among the wreckage 
Before more lies were spoken 
 
I pressed the metal back into my ribs as it was never meant to fall 
Stitch by stitch, I drew the seams closed 
No gap remains at all 
 
I reforged my armor and my heart, made harder, colder...steeled 
No room for mistakes, no place left to cry 
Every crack has been sealed 
 
So hear now the quiet final pulse of a heart once attainable 
That has chosen to become 
Forever impenetrable