This is the second part of a larger piece that I wrote a few years ago after a walk through the Ancient Weapons display, on a visit to the Huntington Museum of Art on a cold evening in April.

Death by Design

Forged barrel
Machined and polished
With firing mechanism
Patiently assembled
From cast and smith-forged
Screws, springs, clamp-jaws
To hold flint, ram-rod, and trigger
Mounted on hand-carved
Oiled and buffed mahogany
With brass trim

Waiting only powder
And a musket ball
And an eye to target
Victims and prey

Hand-crafted
Forged
Machined

Death by design

–LE – Revised 5/10/25