Category: Truth

We made love a second time
three weeks after the first
we had been housemates several months by then
shared chores, cooking and common threads.
Time was generous, the future patient
late night stay ups, talking,
music, issues and courses
of expectations, dreams, hopes and excitements –
of what lay waiting
countries to visit
careers to be fashioned, conquered, applauded.

It was almost inevitable thoughts would
turn to what was, almost inevitable….
…. It didn’t quite work
imagination was surprised
but lapel flicked it away – just one of those things –
better luck next time.

Three weeks later, a repeat screening
magic accepted an invitation
but didn’t attend.
Imagination, often approximated, seldom equalled.

I told the medical officer
I didn’t like his colleague
said I thought he had an opinion of himself
that was far in excess of reality –
immature would be the best description.

Deep insight, so often preceded
by shallow reflexes of habit
a draft of tobacco,
an emptying of a glass,
the folding of newspaper.

Spectacles were removed and polished
as if to increase clarity
or lessen opacity.

Silence became weariness, then compassion
immaturity was not to blame
circumstances were
the circumstances of his vocational specialty,
the medicine of diving – bends – decompression.
Switch hitting,
Nitrogen in blood
benign at sea level
but underwater
and under pressure,
it could turn malicious –
miscalculation easy … consequences severe … lethal.

The subject of my ridicule
had three times spent long hours
in small chambers, with ill divers
none of whom emerged alive.

The first was a gone burger
the second … fifty percent at best
the third was the miracle – death certain
but ethics demanded an attempt be made.

The odds were defied, vital signs surged
hope gave way to welcome
but the Grim Reaper was only taunting
and struck back
defeat, at the door of victory
the colleague without fault – such things happen
but
it had turned a screw in his head. “It would for anybody.”

The origins of intelligence polarise defiantly
nature or nurture,
inheritance or investment?
Does education amplify pre-recorded soundtrack
or environment write brilliant original score.

At university concepts somersault on high wire theory
linear algebra, integral calculus, wave mechanics
the behaviour of x-rays bent by crystal geometry
most slink away
few, very few trapeze giddily – no net.
Such people will never know mystery
for them there is no magic
cigarette lighter is engineering, never fire.
Shepherded into special enclaves
they advanced from the retreating mass
of greater density.

Envy would sometimes wish, then sigh, knowing
Cinderella has no place at this ball.
Princes and princesses waltzed at high court
married consorts of tenure, and were gone.