I was born in the fire

Raised in flames

Devoured by hate

And I grew up stronger

Faster

And smarter than my peers

Every day I trained my mind and body

Fuelled by the rage burning within me

It was always an ends to a means

I could walk down any street

I could challenge and beat anyone who I would meet

Be it chess or a brawl on the street

My contemporaries were weak

They gave in to others

I despised those who were meek

They didn’t know how to fight

They couldn’t stand up for what was right

In a way I believed they deserved it

By Darwinian standards they were not fit

I was always ready to jam my thumbs

Into the eyes of my opponents

To grab them by the neck

Choke them and rip off their heads

Of course I was a pacifist

I didn’t need violence to tear someone to pieces

I could see their weaknesses

Their fears

Their doubts

My words would cut deeper than a razor

And the killing intent in my eyes

Was enough to terrorise

Even the largest of men

And biggest of groups

I would walk through them

And they would know to keep away

I always despised how the weak got attacked

They never went for the strong

So when I was in a bad mood

I would wander around

Head down

Looking at the ground

Trying to appear meek

Trying to look weak

But it was too late

I was a demon

And when I was a young man

I realised it was not normal

To be raised in that environment

I thought it was normal

A military occupation

A war like upbringing

Daily gunfire

Occasional bombs

Always ready to kill to protect myself

I was so far removed from my foreign peers

With a hatred inside I could never quiet

Never extinguish

Always lingering

It had grown so slow

I didn’t realise

And now the steely eyes of a killer

Hiding behind a Buddha’s disguise

To be raised in that environment

The wrongs of the past

And to know those responsible

Gave rise to more hate

Anger at this forced modus operandi

Something I did not choose

Just a means to survive

I resolved myself to make a change

To no longer bury my hate

To no longer keep it suppressed

It was who I was

My hate became a tool for change

I would not allow the children of tomorrow

To grow up with a hard heart like mine

I would fight everyone on this rock

Who got in my way

I had a list

Names and addresses

Transgressions not forgiven

Those who thought their actions would have no reprisals

Not forgotten

And I began to work

Always in secrets

Always in shadows

To tear down the old institutions

Brick by brick

Brawn times brain

It was always a game

I played by my rules

I didn’t see authority

I didn’t see borders

I didn’t see skin colour

I didn’t see religion

I only saw revenge

And revenge is all I live for

@RiskDebonair

Writer, Poet, & Lover