The Four Horsemen

The first appeared to me in white, I thought him pure of soul
Little did I know that night his spirit was black as coal
He conjured many connotations, but seemed of pure intent
Til he devoured nations and his plague would not relent
He spread like wildfire through the land, displaying no remorse
Paved the way for his brothers damned, each arriving in due course

In red the second of the four needed no introduction
I knew at once that this was War, with havoc and destruction
He caused the very world to bleed, and seeds of hate he sowed
And ventured he upon his steed where no other man would go
And once the earth was fertilised from the spill of veins
Those that he had terrorised rotted in their chains

The third arrived on a midnight mare, scales he displayed
But justice wasn’t his to share; for Famine was his trade
And as the darkness claims the sun, he brought his starvation
To claim all good ever done and reap his depravation
And even with his deed complete, black as his charcoal horse
The suffering did not retreat; as horsemen come in fours

And all too soon before me stood the fourth and final horseman
There he was with horse and hood, and spoke to me his caution
Pale and pallid his horse and pallor; left a lot to be desired
Now invalid; vigour and valour, no longer are required
The Fates - their cloth length cut as due - have measured mine alone
And now here comes Death - right on cue - to claim me as his own