you see it in the wavering br there used to be a ‘can do’ br flame to power this man, a br light that burned the brightest br when the hard times came br – but now he quakes br br hesitation rheums once smugly br eagle eyes – he looks away br taloned hands are bent like br crudely battered remnant br lips that can’t efface br a righteous sneer br br shambling gait explains br an ingrained fear of falling br set in place; for years he made br affection claim dependency br in she who gave with gracious br love but sadly went away br br parody in awful taste or br phoenix in its ash, he knows br he cannot rise less crash with br no surprise or deep regret br – I can’t forget the day br the Future died he says br © 30 October 2009, I. D.