Gray clouds precede the midnight black
once arrived, coats the sky in ink-
magenta sparks explode in the air,
followed by gold, crimson, emerald, and sapphire-
on the roof, a man lights another firework.
The rocket blooms in the sky,
casting a kaleidoscope of multicolored smoke on
slate stone buildings border the streets-
connected awning to awning by tawny ropes
hanging lanterns cast citrine glows below-
where crowds shuffle between chestnut walls
and mahogany planks of run-down buildings.
Nearby, in a darkened alleyway,
the silver sword escapes its sheath.
White strips of bandage unravel around the blade
revealing rows of runes glowing azure blue
in the air slowly darkening with dusk.
A hooded stranger folded in ragged cloaks of black
spins and plunges the sword-
in the dimness, a body falls-
staining the cobblestones with scarlet.