In the yet blue sky I heard the song of a lark,
Overcoming its size by scaling great height,
But a cloud hid the bird and the sun became dark,

Still showering us with joy, though nowhere in sight
Till it fell silent, when he turned and wished me good-bye,
Hugged me and asked me to remember him and what's right.

I watched him plod across the fields with  tears in my eyes,
Diminishing in my blurry sight as he walked by the fence
Which met at infinity with the Poplars at the other side,

They surrounded him coming I know not whence
The next day, I heard from his enemies he was dead.
Not till then, to that hug, did I attach significance.

It measured by deed beyond anything that could be said
And summed up his life and love in a second's touch:
Conducted into me from his heart and his head.

He was always there as a hero who promised so much.
How was I without him now to find my own way?
Many years' later, I saw how he gave me his torch

To bear so we could fight another day,
But then, I felt empty and betrayed and just turned away.

4/3/12.

You're at the bottom!