Take the leg, so I might keep my life

I am a blind man surrounded by bear traps
but I am too restless to be still
You've set them all too carefully
to test my brittle will
and when I step out towards my fate
I am stopped short in metal jaws
and though the pain is excruciating
it is not without a cause
I have killed the hunter many times
and maimed him more no doubt
he has tracked me twice as much
planning his revenge, mapping it out
so now the time has come for him
to take what he deserves
he stands over my motionless head
with steady, calm hands and steely nerves
but in a shallow breath I beg
mercy on my soul
"where was mercy when I was trapped?
a corpse in the bloody cold
you can't speak of justice my friend
you've crushed all that I knew
I cannot wrack my mind for a revenge
sweeter than destroying you"
and when I am prepared to take my last breath
I open my mouth to say
I regret it, all of it
here on my final day

but the axe takes not my life but the leg
and I bleed
and I am in so much pain
and I am forever changed
and forced to leave
and to recreate myself

and the hunter goes
he was just trying to save me
and I feel weak
I know I am going to die
but he tried to save me
and I fought too long
and now it's too late


After a long deep breath...


I never would have done those horrible things
If I wasn't a horrible person
If I had really wanted to change, I would have
and now I do.
but I have a feeling that it's too late.
A sigh.

too late.
too late.
too late.