Category: Death

The town was conservative
flat in topography
horizontal of opinion
the workplace a model of the town in miniature
a Monday to Friday Sunday School
well scrubbed, well attired, well attended wellness
speaking out permitted in response – by invitation. Gently.

Except for Steve
scruffy, irreverent, opinionated
Iconoclast in residence. Wise guy extraordinaire.

Steve didn’t belong to the union
claiming unions promoted mediocrity – heresy in a Keynesian Court.
At staff meetings he would flip flippant asides
clenching the assistant director’s jaw
squeezing sniggers from the less brave.
I admired him enormously
his wit
his outspokenness
his individuality.

Three decades and four careers later
Steve is doing the same job
in the same place
is the same wildcard joker

Time knows better
he had rare, specific skills
was difficult to replace.
his barbs mischief, not ideological confrontation
irritating, not stinging
more housefly than wasp.
He didn’t need the union
conditions and pay universally applied.Win-win.
I still like him – a lot
but admiration has ceased
understanding came to know
he was a conformist – a very clever one.

For three days the weather refused to co-operate
veiling the mountain in grey density
it could have been sympathy
or spite
sullen
terrain had gone one up
in their competition for intruders.
The helicopter took a rain check
returning to its city home
waiting to be called from the bench
back to the arena and starring role.

We knew it was a woman
referred to as “she” or “her”
the others in the party
interviewed by visiting policemen – the town too small to have its own.
Did they remain in the village on vigil
until she was brought back down to earth?
Or get the hell out of this place
where hell had come to them.

Muffled. Softened. Hushed.
everything
until the helicopter returns
with requiem chatter.
Tarpaulin wrapped stilled life
rotor wake spun
in one last dance.

It was easy
before she had a name
“ 28-year-old female climber ”
anonymity a space station airlock
separating two worlds : living and dead.
Juliet
it was so much more tragic.

Imagination could have pretended it was Switzerland
snow as homogenizer
pancake makeup covers informer landscape.
Two polar hemispheres
days illuminated by the same sun
night birthmarked by different stars
postcard windows frame to scale Matterhorn.

Climbers midgeted by distance
thread slowly up toward the summit.
Two ski instructors rest between classes
chess tones essential patience
“check,” says one
a pause
“ actually it’s checkmate,” says the loser.

Rumour whispers through dusk
the helicopter shouts confirmation at sunrise
a slip and fall.
Blonde and handsome
dashing in the uniform of alpine rescue
he steps out of the helicopter
walks to the park ranger
and shakes his head.
Checkmate.