The Bandit.

I am a bandit.

Campfires are my light,

Stones are my pillows,

And my blanket..

The stars above.

On these mountains,

Whose peaks disturb clouds,

I wander and stroll,

As leisurely as in a house;

I am a bandit.

I rob and I kill -

That is my profession.

I am not a law-court;

I do not care for the innocent,

Nor for the guilty.

And I sleep quite well at nights,

Because,

If you must know,

For me,

All souls are filthy.

Last week, I shot a pregnant woman;

Yesterday, I wrestled a 'hero';

I've just added a child to my murder-répertoire..

And I sleep quite well at nights!

Earlier today,

In a carriage we'd stopped,

I'd seen a woman,

With whom I'd instantly fallen in love.

Bandits recognise people -

All those they rob -

But I've never seen her before;

All those I'd seen prior,

To that moment,

Was everything unlike her..

Amongst a dozen terrified eyes,

Hers never evinced terror;

She looked at me,

As bravely,

As kindly

Yet disdainfully,

As thoughtfully

And as warmly as

She would, at her father.

..

I loved her.

..

And once we'd gathered everything,

With not a copper ring to spare,

I commanded my pack

To bring the mother of my heir.

And they,

Being the loyal dogs they are,

Tied her hands from behind

And dragged her up along our way.

It was an enigma who she was;

She didn't say much;

She was young and healthy,

But her mannerisms had a mother's touch.

They gave her little food;

I went and handed her mine,

And then -

Then! -

The pack knew I was doomed;

Love's a feeling, a bandit can't hide..

I couldn't sleep well;

The moon was my friend that night;

Above a dozen ugly shoulders,

Her silhouette was perfectly outlined.

She breathed so softly,

So tenderly,

I was afraid of my own breath;

I don't know what it was,

But it was far beyond the experience of death -

It had to be!

You see,

Life,

For me,

Is meaningless -

As meaningless as the coming moment..

She awakened - or she never really was asleep -

Then came and sat beside me,

On the edge, overlooking the foggy hills.

We let our legs loose,

To the gentle breeze,

And had our lungs filled.

We spoke at length -

I spoke at length -

And she listened.

None of the other members were awake,

Thank God!

Yet, like a bird to a stranger,

She was afraid.

Afraid..

Afraid?

..

From me.

..

I was, to her, a wild beast!

I am, to her, a wild beast.

..

I felt her head on my shoulder.

'Speak!' I told her,

(tighter, she grips).

I was prepared to die, then,

For anything to come out of her lips!

..

..

'I want to go..' she whispered into my ear,

Then proceeded to weep,

And,

By God -

By Almighty-God, Himself -

Nobody could cut those ropes,

As swiftly as I had done!

..

And so I packed some food,

Some coins,

Wrapped her in a blanket,

Took her on my steed,

Then left her in a place safe from beasts like me..

I hadn't cried in a lifetime -

I still did not cry -

But when I watched her leave,

I felt like it..

..

..

But I sleep pretty well at nights..

Yes! I sleep very well!..

It is now late.. almost dusk..

The moon waves goodbye,

And I only look at it.

Ah..

It's late anyway;

I will sleep in a bit..

The End.