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    Barge-Room Ballads III






  Mr. Jones

 

 

I’ve seen that run.

I’ve seen their steps.

I’ve seen them all.

All were alone.  

All dreamed about eternity.

And all were left in stairway zone.

I was the leader of led toys.

They called me…

Let them call me: Jones.

I tried my best.

At any costs.

So I lay down.

                                   ‘’Where are you, Jones?!’’

Maybe there where my whisper was?

I heard it:

‘’On my knees, of course…’’

Gentleman ranker on his knees?

Still crawling?  

                                   ’’Still alive?!

                                     Sir Jones!’’

Am I the leader?

For these men?

They call me… ’’Sir’’?!

                                       ’’Hey! Jones!’’      

                                   Where are you? man!’’

Who are you, Jones?

And where you missed them all?

And are you real gentleman?

A ranker?

A little?

At all?

 

I’m not.  

I’m not a man this time when carrying rank my too low

Nor hero damned in lyric lines well known as steadfast tin toy… 

 

I’m not a man when cross the line drawn closer than the horizon

And when count down swift shrinking time to flow with the tide arising.

I’m not a man in jungle zone from here to damned eternity

Where I am crawling

Now alone

On endless blades

Too red and thin…   

May 30th, 2012  

photo: US Army (Office of War Information) ca March 1945

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