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October 2007
The Poetry of Harry
Furness
The nightmare of the
dark will always give way to hope of the light.
These three are a part of Harry's Day Cycle poems.
Night
I go to bed when my parents tell
me
An hour before the news
But the night light doesn't shine bright enough
The darkness creeps in about me
And the dreams eat into my sleep as if they were worms
In an apple
I'm nearly wide-eyed when I fall asleep
red, glowing
waiting
just below the sandy soil
sensing the foot fall
just before
a booted heel
touches above
it rips up through the dirt to tear into the shoe
and eat at the foot
Crawling through a sheet-metal maze
Knees ache
But I know what is happening and I'm trying to reach them to
Warn them
I reach an exhaust vent and yell, but my voice is blown back
at me
others are ripping up through the dirt to claim their feet
soldiers are falling shooting their feet, screaming as they fall
into the chaos of living sand
as they hit, others explode to feed where ever touches above
them
the ground turns red
like the open wounds of those who have stepped into a mine field
My friends fall and I can do nothing
I rattle the vent's grate and yell warnings
screams, blood, things, all litter the ground with terror
He wakes, panting like a dog in August
His t-shirt clings to his wet neck like a love that was lost
in the wind
His eyes dart about the room looking for solace where there is
none
It was a dream
I'm in my bed, I'm ok, there is nothing living in the sand
Why don't I have dreams where I am not helpless?
Why don't I have nice dreams where I get the girl?
I'll listen to some music
There was no more sleep, the sun arrived and there might be time
For an hour or so of rest
Late Night, Early Morning, The End
Drunk, tired, and hurt all over
"There's one over here"
Sirens whooping, people yelling
"Stay with me son"
Slowly opening eyes
"There's one in this car with a pulse"
Focus
"None here, three with massive head trauma"
The air bag in front hanging limp
"Get a hose over here, there's gas"
Like a spent prophylactic
"Get him a board, and into a truck"
Rider side door open, seat empty
"The blue car came out of nowhere"
She's gone, but where
"There's another down the hill, she must have been thrown"
Something wet and thick is dripping and stinging my eye
"We're going to get you out, stay with me son"
Smoke or steam
"Get a hose over here too, something is leaking"
Smell of oil and antifreeze is so strong
"He's vomiting, rip this door off"
Vomit
"We're losing him, move"
Eyelids shut, sleep, pass out
I'm in a bed, I'm in a hospital
I hurt all over, what
My mother is wet red eyed by my bed
I try to speak but only grunts and peeps come out
My jaw is clenched shut by the vice clamping my head
She's saying something about why
I close my eyes to sleep
There's a steady male voice besides me
Sounding like Niagara Falls from a distance
I try and focus on the steady stream of falling words
He's asking questions to which there are no answers
My leg below my left knee is gone
My right arm is casted and my head screams with pain
My eyes take in the sights, but nothing much registers
Until
He tells me that I was drunk and ran a red light
I breathe deeply
He tells me that four people died
I cry
He tells me that it's my fault
I know
He tells me that I'm charged with vehicular manslaughter
I should be
He tells me she's dead
I close my eyes and go into a ...
I don't know how much time has passed
I don't know if there is redemption
I don't know why I have tomorrows and they don't
But I know that I must face something
I feel like a child who mowed down the flowers
The judge tells me how lucky I am
If I were lucky I wouldn't have lost my leg and use of my arm
And no one would have died
I wouldn't be going to jail
But I'll have a lot of time to think about it
Morning
He stands in the wet sea-darkened sand
The waves lick his feet as the surf's froth salts them
The sun is above the eastern horizon lighting its pathway to
itself
The reflection is bounced by the breeze
There are a few early morning bathers
But the beach is uncommonly empty for early August
And it is mostly quiet except for the laughing gulls
His thoughts are warm with the joy of the morning and the way
The sea birds in the air bob up and down in the wind
And the others dart in and out of the waves on the beach
A larger wave washes at his heels and they sink and momentarily
His looses some balance, but not enough to knock him down
Regaining his footing he smiles and takes drink from his mug
As he feels the warmth of the sun on his face and limbs
Soon it will be hot, but not yet
Soon he will be gone, but not yet
It is time to return to the house and fix the family breakfast
And watch sleepy dull eyes regain their sparkle ready for another
day
"Life is good today"
copyright Harry Furness
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