Samurai starts to deliver

Point of order, poignant

Takes another swig of sake

Remembers his appointment

Socialites all back away

As he pushes chair to table

Distance, they, from wanderer

Who seems to fit no label

With wide light pants

And fumbling stance

It seems to hold to reason

That he's no chance

In battle dance

But therein lies the treason

The alley cats all dart away

The dogs rise up to greet him

He belches at a group of kids

Who dare to all but meet him

Past the light of lanterns lit

With moon high in the fields

The merchant's son gathers with guns

Is backed by hired shields

They stand apart and eye each other

The arrogant youth boasts, empty

The Samurai recites a prayer;

'To soul and steel that send me'

With flash the cannons fire bolts

The firelight is blinding

Smells of smoke and burning powder

Rise in windcraft winding

Moments pass but with a crash

Of thunder, rain starts falling

The men then pause to take a look

At youthful master's calling

The silhouette is black as death

The silence is unnerving

But in a flash of lightningsrike

The silhouette flies, swerving

Bullets fired bounce away

In rain-spilt sparks of steel

Coming closer, without order

No pattern to his feel

A soldier cries out as another's

Throat meets night air, spilling

One by one the hired hands

Collapse beneath the killing

Now alone, two stand in storm

That torrents 'midst wind, violent

But sound of laughter cuts above

The slashing motion, silent

With a yawn

He watches bastard

Slump onto the lawn

Time to eat, now

Find a drink

Or pleasure, before dawn