Day The Future Died Poem by Ivan Donn Carswell

you see it in the wavering
there used to be a ‘can do’
flame to power this man, a
light that burned the brightest
when the hard times came
– but now he quakes

hesitation rheums once smugly
eagle eyes – he looks away
taloned hands are bent like
crudely battered remnant
lips that can’t efface
a righteous sneer

shambling gait explains
an ingrained fear of falling
set in place; for years he made
affection claim dependency
in she who gave with gracious
love but sadly went away

parody in awful taste or
phoenix in its ash, he knows
he cannot rise less crash with
no surprise or deep regret
– I can’t forget the day
the Future died he says
© 30 October 2009, I. D. Carswell