The Base Player written by Gavin Haycock at Spillwords.com

The Base Player

The Base Player

written by: Gavin Haycock

@poetry_pieces

 

Lemmy died on Monday
or another day maybe
I can’t be sure
I just saw a post about it
gaming it to the end
vodka, orange, ice
crushed edges bitten through delirium burns
a rope up from the downed anchor
to keep Jack’s jagged claw at bay
or at least arm’s length from a heart
wrapped in a crown of fibrous thorns
collector’s dagger drawn
through black ink
blood and breast bone
no regrets, said the kid
as he traded life lines all those years ago
no time for melody
amid the highs and lows of it all
no time for losing
run ragged against silence
ultimately incandescent with sage
when shall three meet again?
when another battle’s lost and won?
that will be never
he said, before
sliding rather than slamming
to a final resting place
bruised below the surface, toothless wry grin
bitches brew warts
toxic baseline bites
a howl rings out
battle-wary, gunmetal grey
in this final hour
I don’t want to give in to it
live old, die fast
become becalmed
shrouded goodbye
cold chromium comfort to it all

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