Wretched Wisdom

rolled on in swelters and plied from it's grasp in weatherbound chains beaten by sound whispers fragrant in waste and deeper still waves pray for light in caves weightless mindless assault silent caravans north of forsaken battlefields in lakes frozen with will old birds scream of slit throats languages burned by minds wisdom weary and seething with regret same windows on changing waters wretched standoff of life and death brave once through given words cherishing all but few