StylusLit

September 2018

Back to Issue 4

coastal comrade

By Stephen House

1

vacant eyes give all of nothing

as we drag grey body from stormy sea

hopeless pump at fallen chest

frantic breathe on cold fish mouth

collapse together by washed up corpse 

drained by failure to return him to now

 

2

strong hand on my shoulder 

as we comrades mooch away

commotion left behind

bonded by morning ocean demise

silenced by inability to find words to share

 

3

one hour later

desire intense

us in naked two men play 

on musty mattress in fishing hut

escape face of  human mortality

celebrate in secret alive reality

 

4

same beach next day 

i pass my coastal comrade 

arm around woman with child near

furtive flick of smile to me

heartfelt wink reply to he

 

5

walk away 

from whatever we were 

connected always 

by death and lust