Immortality

They rode off into the clear midnight
Into the sunrise, into the pouring rain
Towards a hard fight, a quick death
Or a victorious finish; this immortality
Had a hard grip on their souls
Whether for freedom, or true love,
Or the heady rush that only battle brings
Still, whatever the reason, they gave themselves to it
Gave in to fate, stronger than questions
Honor that cannot say no
But thinking, I wonder, did any of them regret…?

The young one, hands toughened but not yet
Stained with blood he has no right to
Looking back from his horse towards
The place he called home, the ones
He leaves for
The old one, bidding farewell to long summer evenings
And masses of laughing grandchildren
Scrambling to climb towering trees he planted
The strong one whose last sight
Was of his wife
Hands caressing the life she carries
Do they regret the path of immortality that
Carries them away?

I wonder how their stories ended
And I wonder how many of them returned
And, of those who did, how many
Decided immortality was worth it