This poem is the most personal reflection of my inner most motivations. Mars being the god of war and the Temple of Mars being the battlefield; whether it be the earth, mind, soul, or body. My aspirations of being an Army Ranger are fueled by the desire to enter the Temple of Mars as I believe that after holding the gaze of Death everything in life is sweeter. The "ever deeper shadow" is what Jungian psychology describes as the innate primal darkness which resides in the subconcious of all of us, and to enter the Temple of Mars requires us to embrace the dark primitive man and instinct within. No doubt a journey to the Temple is forever changing, perhaps for the better but undoubtedly for the worse. But it is the need to know such an extreme reality that drives people like myself to violate the most fundamental of instincts--self preservation.
