He was something like an emperor
Something like a hero
He chose a path; he was destroyed
He was something like a friend
It's lurking, a cleaner world
A neater world, sparse and silent
It's waiting to pounce
Pain measures the distance you travel
A single incision after a pitched chase
A moment's shuddering; release
Or die for days after falling
Terrible infinite surfaceless seconds
I wish I could use his remains
like the man in 'Rogue Male'
Make a weapon, fight the killer
Vengeance, a vain chance
I wish I could freeze that frame
I wish I could hold those seconds
Or days in my mouth
Feel cold salt dissolve on my tongue
It's a neater, cleaner place
Sparse, silent and free from despair
I could go there and be with you
If I only had the measure of pain
