Too Soon Departed

On iron sand is shadow cast
By spectral man collecting past
Forever combing this band of soot
For subtle track, for print of foot
For memories of his Celtic love
His life, his girl, hand to his glove

A raveonette whose ebony tresses
Hung cropped above heavenly vessels
Emerald eyes that shone with mirth
That held such fervour for man and earth

A slight frame clad in summer dress
Of lightest cotton with petals pressed
A golden cord round thin hips wound
Her feet stained green did glide overground

She wrote, she read, she laughed and cried She listened, she sang, then untimely died Drying ink on histories page A fallen victim of Envies rage Of boiling broth and spitting salt Of lashing rains and lightning bolts

Lost to the sea where they were cast
By dread foul wind and splintered mast
Bound by white caps and washing swells
To hushing depths to ever dwell

Yet he was spared and set to shore
Bereft of love forevermore
Emulating the close crying gulls
While his tortured pain refused to dull

And now, again, all undone he comes
To this selfish sea, for seven suns
To wade the shallows woebegone with grief To hurl to the ocean his florid wreath

Josh Gardiner