The Last Poem


The Writing

[The sun will return
Our sun will emerge
We shall not die in shadows
The barricade will not fall to the night]

"Jean, are you all right?"

"Fine, just a little sad. Don't worry about me, Courfeyrac. I can still hold a gun."

[The stars shine with a cold glow
Silver painted against deep blackness
Silver sand scattered in the black ink
Silver moons swimming in black water]

The poet suddenly buried his face in his hands, trembling, but not crying. He looked strangely vulnerable, strangely unwrapped. He was silhouetted clearly against the deeper darkness of the night.

The leader noticed his shaking, and walked to where he sat, concern showing on his beautiful, proud face.

"Jean, are you all right?"

[But the stars will fade into their dark
And the dawn will carry away the dark
And the sun will wash away the dark
And golden light will touch the corners of the sky]

"I'm fine, I'm fine, Enjolras. I just...I just wish it were light. I don't like this nighttime. It's too dark. It's too deep, too far, too reaching." The poet closed his eyes and felt the still air around him

"I assure you that it will be morning soon, Prouvaire. I...I promise," the leader added with uncharacteristic gentleness for the poet who was no more than a boy, who had too many verses still unwritten to give himself to death.

[And then the sun will be radiant
And the sky will be lit within
And the barricade where we wait will be bathed with light
And we will die with the sun upon us]

The poet sat straighter, and nodded, looking into the black. His eyes shone ever so slightly as he watched his fellow students on the barricades, loading guns, making ready.

The leader returned to his post, to watch beyond the barricades, to watch the things outside the fortress. He, too, was making ready.

[The return of the day shall revive us
Fear shall not consume us
No trace of doubt: we fight for what is truth
And we shall raise our flag to the sun]

"No one will ever read my last poem, Enjolras," the poet told the unfathomable shadows that stood between himself and the leader.

But no one heard him.

[The sun will return
Our sun will emerge
We shall not die in shadows
The barricade will not fall to the night]


Chapter Two.
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