Seppuku*

Photo by Sora Sagano on Unsplash

A river runs through me -
the river of life -
with its twists and its turns,
its banks out of sight.
(early morning mist
scatters dregs of the night -
O! the unbidden tears!)

Flotsam and jetsam
of years pass me by
i swirl in a whirlpool
float in the sky.
(the azure blue heat-haze sky
of childhood all gone by)

Down in the depths,
murky and drear,
i listen to my heartbeats
taste the fear.
(swim against the current -
in a tangle of weed -
stop in a hurry -
Is that all that we’ll need?

Floating along at our bull-rush ease
i stare quietly at the sun,
as i begin to bleed.