His name is well remembered in city names and places
Across the world, far from Ancient Greece and Macedonia
Remembered in names, revered for his accomplishments
Iskander, Eskinder, Scander, more familiarly, Alexander
Had a will quite enormous and desire to create an empire
He would set fire to a Persian empire, chase the emperor
Son of Philip the Great, himself a conqueror, innovator
Alexander was broken to learn his men were human
His Macedonian army, after years of conquest, had tired
They were war weary, wanting to see their family, again
But Alexander had already captured vast tracts of lands
His violence destroyed all kingdoms before him
And his men discovered he was brilliant in command
Philip the Great had wanted to crush the Persian empire
He was slain before his plans could come to fruition
However, Alexander was unlike his father too
Philip was brutish, Alexander was beautiful
He had a brilliant charisma, that men followed
Inside of his heart was a spirit of romance, fire
King Philip was crippled by wounds, lived in pain
Alexander was courageous, but flawed with an ire
When his dreams of world dominance ended, finally
The invasion and constant war, brought exhaustion
He would punish his army via the Gedrosian Desert
It was harsh, dry and burning, no one dared cross
Make no mistake, this was a brutal punishment
For any person deadly, for his men, a grave danger
Yet the army did not suffer the punishment alone
Alexander came along too, leading personally
In action, he'd never showed cowardice of his own
If perhaps he was rash, he was confident and brave
The journey toll? Just two men of every three left
He'd never sent men into war but not send himself
So why do you call a man great, who gained fame
For a prowess in killing, destroying, punishing
Ask Cleitus the Black how great Alexander was
He saved Alexander's life at the Granicus River
But was killed by a spear thrown by Alexander
He had dared remind Alexander of his father
And questioning the greatness of his calling
