twenty-seven

damn the waves
upon rocky cliffs
blame the full moon tugging
to unbalance a rare equinox tide--
the hell with her impetuous nature
a champion with medallions, yet
“I swim the lighthouse
every year, dad—“
impossible to sway her stubborn certitude
I could not cry in alarm as hungry waves
engulfed my sixth sense
pounding with danger

damned karma’s faulty logic
her annual rainy day challenge
on that unforgettable thursday
a perpetual nightmare...
where she will be twenty-seven
for the rest of my life

I am old and empty now
sadness is an anchor
on my once buoyant heart
no smile breaches my graying beard
my soul is crushed like
her poor body…
on that rocky shore…
there is no peace, no forgiveness
no prayers to understand
my lamentation tastes of guilty bile
or the salt of destiny’s black hand
that ruined her sweet zealous youth
my eyes are steeled against anything
but the vision of one rainy morning...
I no longer salute the dawn
from the cliffs of our youth
and stand tearless, staring into the water
for upon its haunting waves
is the empty promise of my death


twenty-seven
18 april, 2006
Revision 24/3/2010

Original Text;

it was the fault of the waves
the rocky cliffs
full moon two days later
and the high tide--
it was the fault of her impetuous nature
medallion swimmer
I can do this, dad--
impossible to negotiate
impossible to cry in alarm
impossible to admit to a sixth sense
of inexplicable danger

it was the fault of fate
of that thursday in the rain--
she will be twenty-seven
for the rest of my life

years have gone by
my graying beard speaks of sadness
will I ever find the force to forgive myself,
destiny's tricks,
or her impetuous nature?
to salute the dawn from those cliffs
to stand, tearless, staring into the water...



         twenty-seven
         18 april, 2006