Farewell Kathryn

 

 Marilyn Horan

1654 Glenwood Road

Brooklyn, NY  11230

marilbone@aol.com

718-859-6145

                                                            Farewell

The horseman of the apocalypse came prancing,

High-stepping to the side.

Splay-footed

Pigeon-toed

Bumbling in

With a hop and a skip.

Annihilation

Disguised as a pot bellied fellow.

Devastation

Displaying an amused sideways jollity.

The Red Death in a ski cap and green coat

Sneakers and tube socks and

Ordinary objects--knives

As carnal messengers.

Coffin closed,

Damage done

No autopsy so awful

As death strikes on

The landscape of white flesh

Tearing and shredding

And giving birth to grief

The more dreadful

For ruined dreams.

Protection and shield gone.

Only torn skin remains.

Weeping for what might have been

And what will never be

Except in restorative sleep

Protecting the dreamer and the dreamed of

From what was.

Waking moments

When sense is just dawning

Is the precious time.

The lull before the storm of memories

First sweet, then filled,

With unfathomable horror,

Horan

Of rage spent on an undeserving one.

(Outside of hell and bedlam

Is there any one rating such an end?)

Scream goodbye cruel world--

No irony in the phrase.

Well, it’s over, my friend,

That’s the best I can say about that—

The lingering loss of

of life’s goodness

Is all that remains.