After The Whiteout

After the whiteout,
we count who remains.
Not by the scars.
By who we became.
Morning came pale
over black spruce bones
Storm moved on
but it left its own
Rope in my hand
ice in the thread
Names in the snow
still loud in my head
I walked out breathing
but breath ain't proof
Some men survive
and still lose truth
So I checked my hands
for the crown and chain
Checked my heart
for the old king's name
No gold there
No throne set high
Just rope burned palms
and a tired sky
North Star hidden
but the pull stayed clear
I made it through
Now I choose
why I'm here
Count the hands
Count the cost
Count the ones
we almost lost
Count the breath
Count the flame
Then decide
who walks away
After the whiteout
We count who remains
Not by the scars
But by who we became
After the whiteout
No crown,
no chains
We bury the throne
But we keep the names
After the whiteout
The line stays tight
If one heart shakes
We hold through the night
After the whiteout
I still believe
The cold took much
But it didn't take me
I been the ghost
I been the blade
I been the silence
that the hard world made
I been the eye
that never blinked
I been too close
to the dark I think
I hated tyrants
till the mirror talked back
Saw my own shadow
wearing their tracks
That's when the tether
burned into skin
Said you don't beat monsters
by becoming them
So I put one hand
where the line could feel
Kept my aim clean
Kept my mercy real
Metronome stepper
through the last long mile
No soft redemption
Just a hard won trial
Count the hands
Count the cost
Count the ones
we almost lost
Count the breath
Count the flame
Then decide
who walks away
After the whiteout
We count who remains
Not by the scars
But by who we became
After the whiteout
No crown,
no chains
We bury the throne
But we keep the names
After the whiteout
The line stays tight
If one heart shakes
We hold through the night
After the whiteout
I still believe
The cold took much
But it didn't take me
I do not
forgive the storm.
I do not
thank the pain.
I do not worship suffering.
I do not call
the wound holy.
But I will
use what survived.
I will build
from what stayed.
I will hold
the rope tighter.
I will keep
my hands clean
even
when the world is not.
That is the oath.
That is the line.
That is life
after the whiteout.
No crown
No chain
No throne
No name
North Star
Still flame
Hold rope
Stay sane
No crown
No chain
No throne
No shame
Line tight
Hands raised
We came through
We remain
After the whiteout
We count who remains
Not by the scars
But by who we became
After the whiteout
No crown,
no chains
We bury the throne
But we keep the names
After the whiteout
The line stays tight
If one heart shakes
We hold through the night
After the whiteout
I still believe
The cold took much
But it didn't take me
Whiteout ended.
Line held.
Hands counted.
No crown.
No throne.
Still here.