‘Look! now briefly, mortal living head - br As severed from thy now so lifeless limbs br In brief and, who knows, truthful, godly view, br So solemn, oncely, rare - that fleshly instrument br That thou hath used, misused… br And learn this last of life’s live lessons, quick and dread br In these few seconds of a living death…’ br br So Dean John Donne might have wrung out br that detail, had he known it – tolled br his solemn, tortured, feargod, ringing knell br - had he but known this ‘metaphysical’ quaint fact: br br that, when the executioner’s sharp axeblade br slices through your neck with such finality, br the head maintains its human faculties br for eight brief seconds after body falls; br br the executioner, it’s said, with great formality, then br takes hold that still-life head by its warm hair, br and turns it round with all solemnity, br to gaze its last repentence or regret br upon its frail accomplice on life’s way; br the gathered audience awed to silent, ice-cold heart.. br last freeze-frame photo of an undeveloped film. br br This solemn final courtesy of soul to soul br I’ll leave to metaphysicals, to speak life whole.