A Guy Named Guy

Do you recall

a guy named Guy?

Caught before

he could

set the hated flames

upon the king

and the Parliament

inside.

***

For religion,

for ideals

for pay:

nobody knows.

Didn’t give up names

or a plot for his deeds.

He went on his date

with his morbid destiny

for his attempt

to end the life

of a king

and his merry men.

***

Once that island kingdom

scorned his name.

Burned his effigy

for his shame.

Now the kids

light fireworks

and celebrate

like he was a king

of kings,

despite his objection

to the gilded crown.

***

And we in the U.S.

hear this guy’s name

and wonder who

Guy Fawkes was.

***

Now he's the mask we wear

to show our resistance to rule.

And this man once condemned

becomes our hero.

***

But, that’s the strange case

of the man who gave us the name

“Guy.”

And we say the word,

never knowing

what burden

that man took

until it ended

at the foot of his grave.