Sabre-Bearers

Cocooned in their own world
two fighters simultaneous in breath
slashed and ducked and twirled
like dual tigers circling death

Steel glinted like butterfly wings
Steel sang like birds will sing

Points of sabres, rapiers, swords
stretched to cut at skin and cloth
little protection that they afforded
with a small misstep would be lost

Steel glinted like butterfly wings
Steel sang like birds will sing

Blood flowed red in both of them
and blood flowed red without
and vultures circled both of them
because all their life was out

One Single Impression

I know this isn't really about a cocoon, but I was thinking of fencing because of Sabre Dance, and how people can be in a cocoon where they don't notice anything around them, like when they are fighting.