Smell of polish makes nose twitch and head roll over rough-edged clawfeet of fancy bar. Carved lion's paw under rosebud fleur de lis over oak branch long-leaved boy beside greensward. He hears pinball machine nearby plot of Verdun war become a twilit thing --into machine whirr eyes open bloodlet on floor --into green-shadowed mindfolds droplet on rainbranch --into barren deathscape pure-hearted sleeping boy. 15 Mar 1996 James A. Gardner
[Return to Pen & Sword Home] | [Inner Sword Contents] | [Nightwatch at the Brown Hotel] | [Write the Author]