Ancient Threads

    A thousand times my brother,
    And a thousand more my lover
    And countless when I knew him
    As a friend for whom I cared.
    
    The other always close at hand,
    Two souls reborn as if they planned
    To spend successive lifetimes
    Fates unwittingly ensnared.
   
    But in this life our fates diverged
    Instead my chest and dagger merged
    In darkened alley late one eve
    With robber's savage thrust of hand

    He looked at me, lain on the stair
    Eyes first cruel, and then with care.
    I stared back and strained for breath
    And saw at last the cosmic plan.

    So many lives as one we saw
    Them all at once, we stared in awe
    'Til the last, a horrid end.
    For rending ancient threads he must atone.
 
    I spoke the name he'd born once when
    The closest lovers we had been.
    My soul slipped free forever and
    His lives forever more were spent alone.