The Myth of the Venerable Trauer Klouse

by Cigan Cuk

This is the Myth of the Venerable Trauer Klouse
How his fame and story came to be
Of his origin and acclaim
And the fragments that are always left to see

The year was two thousand and eighteen
Winter holidays were selling in every store
A jolly red clothed man was famous
But behind this image there was something more

Trauer Klouse lived alone
He watched the world go slowly by
His brother got all the attention
Trauer was just like a piece of leftover pie

Every year his brother was so famous
And Trauer sat forgotten
No one really cared about him
His holidays and soul were often rotten

Trauer had long white hair and a beard
He looked like a mountain dweller that lived inside
His appearance was derided by the judging masses
And his eyes were dried from tears he had cried

He sat alone in his apartment
Untidy floors and dishes matched his mind
He felt he had been inside too long
Hiding from the world with values undefined

But this year and this holiday Trauer had had enough
He decided to leave his dingy apartment
There was a world to explore
And he was going to make his own merriment

Trauer opened his dark home to the bright winter light
He stepped outside and walked with the public
Onlookers gave him the strangest looks
And he felt that he needed food in his stomach

The snow crunched under his feet
The cold made him want to withdraw within
He had not walked the town in so long
But still he knew he had to shed his skin

He walked into a greasy diner
He ordered the daily special of sustenance
Strangers gave him bewildering glares
But yet he just knew his betterment was about to commence

A child walked up and asked him if he was lost
As he seemed so out of place
Trauer heaved a deep and great sigh
The criticism was a reminder of his unwelcome face

He read in the newspaper about an urban legend
Of a holiday spirit and Amthistyax was her name
She was a person of a very corrupt sort
And putting others to shame was her game

Amthistyax was rude and hurtful to everyone
She walked with an air of high superiority
She made others feel self absorbed
And took away their feelings of shared humanity

Amthistyax revelled in the holiday buying
She spread false hope of  money to solve a problem
She was truly wicked in her ways
And pushed people toward their bottom

Trauer was very disturbed by this
That a person could live their life so cruel
He decided such a tale should motivate him to be better
To combat such vile would be his fuel

With that he left his syrup soaked pancakes behind
He went back into the harsh world
He wanted to spread some cheer
He wanted his spirit to feel unfurled

As he walked past an alley
He saw a group of kids laughing at a homeless man
Trauer charged at them and yelled for them to stop
He was appalled at the treatment of someone for being perceived as less than

The kids laughed and ran away
Trauer leaned over to offer support
The homeless man said his name was Joe
And that the youth thought he was of a different sort

Trauer felt a kinship with this man named Joe
That they both were misunderstood
Trauer helped Joe stand up on his feet
And together they walked through the neighborhood

Stares and frowned upon faces met them
But that judgement was their loss
On a day of presents they were unafraid of showing their presence
The world may force it upon them, but they owned their albatross

The pair of them went by the junkyard
And a stray dog with white fur barked at their entrance
Yet the dog quickly realized this group was no threat
And they all came to an acceptance

His name was Mr. Barksgrowl
He was given up to the pound years ago
Abandoned and left behind to the outside world
Now he had a new family with which to feel aglow

Minutes later a sound came from deep inside a cardboard box
They all heard a rumbling sound
Out jumped a purring black cat
It pounced with an attitude that it wouldn’t be pushed around

Its name was Mrs. Meowpurr
She had been living in the back alley
Now she strutted with her new crew
And their numbers grew in yet one more tally

The four forgotten beings
So unloved and unwanted from the Earth
Had a shared unity of respect for each other
They now walked with confidence and self worth

They all walked back into the downtown streets
The city lights said buy all the things
Commerce flowed in the air
Selling a desire to pretend to be kings

It was in this walk that Trauer had an epiphany
A spark of what exactly to do
He had a platform to stand on
And he could do it while experiencing this feeling that was new

His brother got all the praise
For being the icon of commercialization
But Trauer was determined
To idealize a more unique actualization

Amthistyax made people not care for others
And that was just not right
He would challenge that notion
And give the winter weather a shade of light

He realized his message would not be about products
But rather about spreading kindness and love
A gift is not always material
And there is more to a season than a single discounted turtle dove

Trauer Klouse became a new kind of holiday symbol
An image for the so called misfits and losers
Many rejected them based off their appearance
But they were often of stronger stuff than their accusers

Trauer and his crew represented an idea of grace and thanks
Of forsaking materialism for acts of kindness
To give to others a respect that is lost in forced consumption
To shine a new star that offered a different kind of brightness

Trauer was not here to compete with or dislike his brother
Rather he wanted to offer some form of contrast
To be more than just material goods
To make sure he was available to every caste

Trauer did intend to compete with Amthistyax
To be against her evil blight
To stand in defiance of such behavior
To show that generosity had not reached its twilight

Trauer saw that not everyone had money for gifts
While his brother gave something more of the physical
He could aid with those who had not
He would be charitable and offer something spiritual

He pondered all the universal possibilities
How our bodies were made from star dust
And that there needed to be more for our lives
Our souls were not meant to simply rust

Trauer and his rag tag band got some interesting looks
Two men dressed in a style that many would describe as unkempt
Walking along with both a dog and a cat
But they were about to give this holiday their best attempt

They stopped and spoke to everyone they saw
They made time to ask how others were doing
They engaged with kindness to strangers
And asked questions about what they were pursuing

Trauer and his group set a new level of patience
A calm in the seasonal bustle
To pause and show attention and warmth
To stop the holiday hustle with their heart muscle

One person they came upon had no way to get home
For he had lost his wallet and his things
Trauer gave him money for a cab
And a sense of compassion that uplifted as it sings

Another person was wandering with no where to eat
Trauer bought him dinner at a local store
No return was asked or given
These things were done as they offered something more

Trauer knew his brother would always be famous
His brother got all the notoriety and headlines
But Trauer’s new mission was of a humble sort
And he operated in his own confines

The snow fell on the city as night fell
And a child was lost in the crowd
Mr. Barksgrowl and Mrs. Meowpurr caught their cries
And intervened to protect them and enshroud

Trauer and Joe knelt down to learn more
And identify where their parents might be
Soon the child was with them once again
Reunited quickly and safely

After an eventful evening of helpful grace
The night grew long and the clock struck midnight
Trauer Klouse knew his brother was ready for his big event
And Trauer’s time would vanish like a hippo with an appetite

As they were walking back home they saw a sight
Standing in the middle of the street
It was Amthistyax herself
Clothed in darkness and with an aim to mistreat

Her hair was like snakes with tendrils
Her black cloak swirling in the air
She waved her arms all over
And cast spells to reduce care

Amthistyax cackled loudly
That she spread mass consumption
That her selfish nature was truth
And selling greed was her function

Trauer and his crew had enough of her lies
Enough of the ever expanding ego
It was too much negativity
All dressed up like a tuxedo but meant as a torpedo

Trauer charged ahead with determination
He and Amthistyax locked arms in a struggle
They were tied in a battle of wills
And he knew his efforts he would have to redouble

Something happened in that moment
As Trauer gave it his all
His force of belief gave him strength
And his desire came out to call

A portal opened up in the street
A one way trip to another dimension
He knew he could banish Amthistyax there
And thus he could begin his ascension

Somehow Trauer knew this portal had a limit
It only would hold her for a year
That every year on this night she would return
And he would meet her again on this mortal sphere

With a mighty heave he pushed her away
She floated falling into this void
She didn’t seem all that surprised
She was a legendary creature and couldn’t be destroyed

But Amthistyax would no longer trouble the Earth for now
She would be away for one year it seemed
Trauer would be waiting and with hope
As he believed no one was unable to be redeemed

His work for this evening was done
And to his apartment he must return
There was only so much time in one day
And like the Sun a fire must burn

Trauer and his crew all went back to his apartment
To live as a family under one roof
To harmoniously coexist
To show compassion as a truth

For Trauer the spirit of the season was now about more
It would be about seeing the ways you are blessed
To share acts of grace with others
To show the world the love in which you manifest

Trauer had no angle or ulterior motive
There is more to it than just to ingratiate
It was about being genuine to others
To be true to his essence and radiate

Trauer sat down on his couch
Joe took a seat on the chair
Mrs. Meowpurr nestled on the carpet
And Mr. Barksgrowl guarded the home lair

The new family unit was united as one
They enjoyed each other’s company and their time
Next year when Amthistyax returned
Trauer would too and now be prepared for his prime

Amongst the general populace
His legend was quietly told
Of a rarely seen fellow
And his travelling family that was a sight to behold

Those who knew waited patiently
Next year brought both Klouse brothers once more
To spread their unique skills to others
And  share their gifts from their gentle core

Amthistyax would return a year from now
Trauer would be ready to defend
He took it as his honor to do so
Over her way of thinking he would always transcend

Seasons come and go like stars in the sky
Time passes and the Earth still spins
The Klouse brothers return each year to give to and protect others
And when that feeling persists all of humanity wins

The End