It was the water that did for him
Folded into the neryd-hair at the river bank
They found what was left, no food for fishes this
Soused enough to pickle sticklebacks
The long scars down his forearms livid
Like ash streaks on pallid china, bone dead
Gruesome find for superstitious fishermen
Or aged couple, festival weary, life-battlers
I remember him well, ever the character
The climber, tree-sitter, dilly-dallyer.
Used to watch a portable TV in his wardrobe
A better reception guaranteed
Took the final sail, though
no fiery arrow followed the journey
Left some behind to tell the tales
The long the short and the tall, as they say
Always likely to be one of the first to go
Often teased but hard as a pikestaff
Graced the ribbery, with a nod, with a ha-ha,
with an understanding of, more or less, important things, life welts.
Eased by, a knowledge of the true-cut, where
the sinister edge displays the artery.
The brand that never heals,
badge of forewarning.
It was old Glastonbury that saw him pass
Saw the stillness in the warrior
Many years before escaped, hell-sent warrior
A vision of a different kind of war-dead
The ranks of ancient sappers rose,
limbs lifting, drifting out
Beckoning, reclaiming their own.
Never to be seen again.
© 2005 Kahdoosch