Poetry: "At the Death of Pan" by Guy Gavriel Kay

Excerpted from: Beyond This Dark House by Guy Gavriel Kay [p.62]

At the Death of Pan

Where the god fell--
mark the place with flowers,

red for blood
and the white . . .

there are no rules for this,
you know. Precedents

are somewhat limited.
Do something with the white.

Clear a space as well
for the hangers-on.

I have no idea
how many will be here

or how they'll behave.
There will be royalty so

it does make sense
to have a score

of maidens immolated,
to be on the safe side.

For the rest--yes, white
for the maidens! Good.

It ought to do, it ought to do,
if the rains hold off.