The Ancient Brothers Poem by Cory Huennekens

The eager younger brother swarms with sparkle
His eyes furnace blazing stars
He runs runs runs speedily
He glistens with sweat
His laugh is hearty and echos;

The older brother sits and watches
By the shade, expansive tree
His eyes follow movement
But his head stays still
His lips quiver but don’t speak

The younger sprints across the field
To a cool flowing stream

The elder sits
And raises the gourd to his lips

In the evening both are in the company of the Father
Sitting, eating, drinking, the torch light dancing on the tent walls
The Father inquires regarding the days events
His eyes slowly move from the younger to the elder

The smoke of the torches suspend time and though
The tent is thick with collective image
Common purpose, the bonds of the soul
The river of the blood

The younger tells tales of the hunt
Thrill of the kill, and the power of strength and will
The wind running through his hair, all of thrill

The older sits listening intently
His eyes taking every movement
Of the lips.
His hands are folded. His legs crossed.
His time comes to speak.
Father, he says-
I watched my younger brother do everything he said
I saw it all from under my tree.

Torch light dances on the tent walls and silence fills all the halls
The only world that exists is in the tent
Smoke of thought and consideration swirling from the fire
The chords of consonance and dissonance dancing from the lyre
Laughing in sorrow and crying in happiness
Embracing the day with arms outstretched common bonds of kin
Dancing in the night
Dancing in the day
Weeping in the dark
All dust and clay