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� � � � � � � � � � � � �� � � � � � � � � � The Final Conflict
��������(played to the accompaniment of Handel's "Joy to the World")

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Death rode the hillsides on his mighty
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � steed� � � � � � � �
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � With absent pathos his eternal creed
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � To search the ruins for remaining life
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Not saddened by the final human strife.

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � He galloped through the countryside
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � forlorn,
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � With mission's sense his armor to adorn,
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Undisturbed by the silence around him,
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Save for the sound of harps and angel's
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � hymn.

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Nothing remained but buildings' charcoaled
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � bones,
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Man's madness loosed on unprotected
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � zones,
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � When superpowers struggled to survive
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Each side's weaponry with no one alive.

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Suddenly, Death could hear a muffled
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � cry
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Of tiny infant who was left to die
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Beside his mother, who was silent now,
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � And Death, for one quick moment,
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � wondered how.

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Death looked upon the bleeding infant small.
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � With bulging eyes and frothing mouth as pall,
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � And he wondered why infant suffered so
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � While others died quickly so long ago.

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Death, unperturbed, briskly dismounted
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � horse,
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Removed his steel dagger with no
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � remorse
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � And plunged it through the dying infant's
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � heart� � � � � � � � � � � �
� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Before remounting weary, to depart.

�1999 Robert Tremblay

� � � � � � � � � � � � � � � Next Poem� .