Seven Deadly Sins: Wrath

You were born with the taste of blood in your mouth
and your father stood above you singing, "legacy legacy legacy." 
You stand knee-deep in the battlefield and sing, 
"the old gods are dead."
You stand knee-deep in the monsoon-heavy blood and sing, 
"the old gods are dead."
You stand knee-deep in the burning pyres of bones and sing, 
"the old gods are dead."
You stand knee-deep in the forest and scream, 
"there are no gods here but me." 

You throw a bottle against a wall and revel in the shards, 
this is your heart on the ground-
sharp edged glory and white linoleum. 
That drumbeat call to war you feel against your ribs
is the breath in your lungs. 
There is a knife against your spine, 
its blade-teeth wickedly singing apart your skin. 
You sing along. 

Your hands are stained with the blood of kings and gods. 
They ask you why you did it and your answer is always the same: 
"There is a certain beauty in setting the world on fire
and watching from the center of the flames." 

Stars are not gentle or small. 
They are writhing and dying and burning. 
You looked first to them for inspiration. 
The men point at you and whisper, 
"be careful of her, there's a fire burning behind her eyes, 
she makes kingdoms fall and monsters wish they'd never been born."
No one ever heeds the warnings
but you don't mourn. 

The red on your lips isn't wine. 
You dance over scorched bones with blood in your teeth. 
They tried to muzzle a dragon with a wedding ring, 
tried to satisfy a she-wolf with fervent kisses and silk sheets. 
As if you would ever settle for anything less than blood. 

You were created to strip lungs of their b-r-e-a-t-h,
to destroy pretty little things and burn them to the ground,
to bring the world. to. its. knees. 
To hear your name spoken only in fearful whispers. 
You were born to be a monster
and monster you will be. 

(you are standing on the edge of war, 
a snake around your shoulders and an army at your feet. 
you are the greatest pharaoh Egypt has ever seen. 
the Romans painted you a gorgeous temptress
who's greatest weapon was her beauty. 
but that isn't true, is it, Cleopatra?
you were brilliance incarnate, ruthless and genius. 
Sweet sweet Cleopatra, 
killer of your siblings so you may claim the throne, 
blood suits you so much better than silk)

(at the age of twenty you will become king, 
you will kill all your rivals and claim the kingdom unchallenged.
Alexander, Alexander, smart child, brilliant child. 
Your army will follow you with such loyalty,
your men will die for you without hesitation. 
Alexander, Alexander, you will never lose a battle in your life. 
Never will you face defeat- Persia will fall at your feet. 
Alexander, Alexander, it is a dog eat dog world, 
but you are a wolf)

(you are seventeen and on the cusp of greatness,
don your armor and lead your army, 
God has called you to GREATNESS. 
your critics will call you insane [a girl cannot lead an army!]
but do not listen to them.
do not be afraid, girl of steel. 
you will carve a swath of power where you step, 
kingdoms will bow at your feet. 
girl of steel and holy fire, 
you are destined for greatness)

There's a girl standing in an alley holding a gun and she says, 
"I was never afraid of you." 
There's a girl in an alley holding a gun, 
fearless. 
A girl, a gun. 
And between the two,
was there ever any difference?
You are the girl. 
You are the gun.