07-17-2015, 04:41 PM
As an act of contrition, I copied it by hand. I'm hoping I got the damn italics and spaces right. Pleasant dreams...
Sestina with Refrain - Thomas W. Shapcott
Why does he keep bruising against me my dead father why still
rub First War mud into his eyes something won't die
something unspeakable he survived "got through" kept all
the parts to Soldier-On "War Babies" a tag stuck
to explain old-person nightmares but not this other
disturbance of voice faint and hoarse the call for water
and why me so long after War's so tired let it die
our century congeals with veterans all "War Babies" all
with obsessive yarns (horrible:back off) pool rooms are stuck
with them me mate's jaw shot clean through and something or other
gurgling there a voice faint & hoarse the call for water
what can you say remember it's over dad dead lie still
More something insists you have to listen damn you all
refuses at some moment cities Gods belief's unstuck
men avoid your eyes it's not you it's absences from each other
the absence voice faint and hoarse the call for water
there is no water "War Baby" not allowed to be still
to drown in that water lips fester the nerves of the tongue die
no help to have seen in the Sack of Carthage a pike stuck
through the peasant wife's breasts or in Gaul another
staff through her mouth a voice faint and hoarse the call for water
Vikings Saxons into her hold her hold her still
Bosch Anzac Marine stick the gun get it done die
Death cry death to them enemy into them into all
into old man dad why drag me through the intestines of another
battleground of the voice faint and hoarse the call for water
not over not ever over not to be extinguished to be still
each witness remembering death goes into you to die
to haunt you haunting me mocking my innocence all
my inheritance out of your grip on me something has stuck
Vietnam Corporal Cavil: A voice faint and hoarse the call for water
so we ripped off her clothes stabbed her breasts she wouldn't die still
we spreadeagled her shoved a trenching tool up she would not die
we shot her it was okay they were Gooks Commies that's all
look dad these new veterans come home survivors stuck
into jobs and families war babies you know how they look past each other
wake at nights gulp the unspeakable threat lie still
it is over lie still there are others now to cry for all
the forgotten for the remembered voice faint and hoarse the call for water.
Sestina with Refrain - Thomas W. Shapcott
Why does he keep bruising against me my dead father why still
rub First War mud into his eyes something won't die
something unspeakable he survived "got through" kept all
the parts to Soldier-On "War Babies" a tag stuck
to explain old-person nightmares but not this other
disturbance of voice faint and hoarse the call for water
and why me so long after War's so tired let it die
our century congeals with veterans all "War Babies" all
with obsessive yarns (horrible:back off) pool rooms are stuck
with them me mate's jaw shot clean through and something or other
gurgling there a voice faint & hoarse the call for water
what can you say remember it's over dad dead lie still
More something insists you have to listen damn you all
refuses at some moment cities Gods belief's unstuck
men avoid your eyes it's not you it's absences from each other
the absence voice faint and hoarse the call for water
there is no water "War Baby" not allowed to be still
to drown in that water lips fester the nerves of the tongue die
no help to have seen in the Sack of Carthage a pike stuck
through the peasant wife's breasts or in Gaul another
staff through her mouth a voice faint and hoarse the call for water
Vikings Saxons into her hold her hold her still
Bosch Anzac Marine stick the gun get it done die
Death cry death to them enemy into them into all
into old man dad why drag me through the intestines of another
battleground of the voice faint and hoarse the call for water
not over not ever over not to be extinguished to be still
each witness remembering death goes into you to die
to haunt you haunting me mocking my innocence all
my inheritance out of your grip on me something has stuck
Vietnam Corporal Cavil: A voice faint and hoarse the call for water
so we ripped off her clothes stabbed her breasts she wouldn't die still
we spreadeagled her shoved a trenching tool up she would not die
we shot her it was okay they were Gooks Commies that's all
look dad these new veterans come home survivors stuck
into jobs and families war babies you know how they look past each other
wake at nights gulp the unspeakable threat lie still
it is over lie still there are others now to cry for all
the forgotten for the remembered voice faint and hoarse the call for water.
a brightly colored fungus that grows in bark inclusions