A Poem for Kevin:

Magpies did not warble that day

there was no sun in the sky

that day

no animals emerging, no songs sung

not that grey day.

Trees wept leaves that day

flowers re-furled, lowered their heads and bowed

that day,

insects refused to fly.

The mantis did not prey, spiders spun no webs

not that day.

Worms did not emerge, snails stayed in their shells

and I sat and stood and sat again

hearing my wife cry

as I stared at the outside and witnessed nothing at all

that day

my mind full of  him; his laugh,

his voice, his bright, bright eyes.

That day

I tried to fathom what cannot be;

how the ocean’s depth cannot compete with despair’s ravine,

and sorrow’s heat burns the heart

all the way into winter

and words become useless,

as they did

that day

the day my friend Kevin passed away.

I will not hear his voice

nor see him smile

nor share a meal and a drink

as we set off on another adventure, or have a coffee,

‘milk on side’ and discuss

all the things right and all the things wrong

not after that day, that horrible day

that stealing, ice pick of a day, that took a life

no one could afford to lose.

Perhaps the magpies did sing,

perhaps the animals emerged and the sun did shine

but that day, and these days since

I have not seen nor heard them.