David Fights the Philistines

David Fights the Philistines 

That night, David slumped 

          to the royal pavilion, 

parched though he drank water, 

          unable to quench his need

for the Spring of his enemy. 

          His guards chafed at David's 

need:  They carry a pitcher, scale 

enemies' walls, dodge a sentry,

          traverse the camp. 

His guards discover this Spring,

     draw from it, and bring 

the full pitcher to David. 

David, though feverish, reckoned 

that that water was alike to blood, 

          a danger to his Soul. 

David surmounted his suffering, 

               scorned his thirst. 

          David made the water 

     a libation to God.