Thursday three o'clock they brought my casket –
Two bulky gentleman with violet wings
‘Please lie down at full length if you try it,
It's not designed for standing or for sitting.'
Comfortable I thought, the pearl-white cushion
But where's the oarlock and the ashen scull?
What about the balance of dimensions,
Won't it be unsteady when it's full?
‘Oh, don't worry sir, you won't capsize
The way they thought the Pharoah might in Egypt,
She's steady as the Good Lord can devise
No one yet's been capsized or unshipped.'
Square-built boat – she didn't need a sheer –
I slept a bit to test her as she rode,
The waves that rocked me slightly were the years,
Gentle so as not to discommode
‘Will you take her, then?' the two inquired,
‘If you do please sign the invoice here.'
I dipped the offered quill and in my blood
Took possession of my signature
(Click here to follow Pavel's ongoing epic poem “The Shoulder of the Sun.” You may visit Pavel's website at http://www.greyowlpress.com.)
