I think of then as I force this pen Into empty words of current ken Of mice and men And scores and ten
The man was a boy when he woke and cried And I recall the night When tiny arms lifted for rushing height To bring slumber when tears had dried
No need was felt to plan his start So I watched as he grew Knowing of some compass needle dart And point to site that drew
The boy was a man at a river place Where he found passion'd grace In forest of tall or stunted trees In lashing heat or cooling breeze In elephant walks And kudu stalks In eagle's soar And lion's roar on the long grey greasy shore
It's where he was and chose to stay Where he'd return after spell away To 'rousal and spend's together lie Under wide and cobalt sky
No one saw the shadow and no one spoke Nor thought of hearts forever broke In taste of his press from happy venture toil Without trace yet of bitter foil
But as it will the shadow moved And anguished folly proved For what was and wasn't done In that brief together run
But no point to portion blames And wrong to see death as tort For I cite myself amongst the guilty names Though others too hear echo fade from life so short
Yet statement stands that he was ever rare He'd shoot beasts down And tell campfire stories as a crown But now he isn't there
Still, what did remain did return to those spaces vast When into wind and stream it all was cast And though I know that life doesn't last I pine for his laughter pass'd
His ashes scattered of course I grieve Knowing that the place that was his love Where now his spirit roams above Was mere pause before the mortal leave
The man who was a boy in murder died And I dwell on every why and how Because I loved him once as I love him now It's why I am to sorrow'd memory tied ... That ghastly night it was I who cried As I do, for my tears haven't dried
Australopithecus Poetry (1)