Brothers

You were always before me
Eldest, you were first
First to battle,
First to war,
First to glory.
The dreams came to us both
To me most oft
Yet you insisted
You must take the road,
The long road to Imladris.
Did you think to spare me,
or was it that there was glory in it,
more so than skulking in Ithilien?
No.
It was always the glory of Gondor
that you sought.
The glory of Gondor,
The glory of men.

You were always before me
leading in honour
leading in courage
leading by example
before me.

Last night, on the river,
was it vision?
was it dream?
You lay there in the boat
before me
silvery-grey
the horn of Gondor at your feet
Raiment strange and fair
and travel-worn
And things not so fair
broken arrows, axes
about you like the trophies of the slain.
And I knew.
I knew, as the water on my face,
salt tears, confirmed it.
You are gone.
You are gone.

You were always before me, Boromir
Even to death.

-- Kathryn A

(for Alfred Reibensch (aka fredo), who gave us Graphics::ColorObject...)