Fever and Decay

Photo by Vidar Nordli-Mathisen on Unsplash

There were sharp rocks at the bottom
There were corpses on the reef
There were ships out in the distance
— That were just too far to see

She swore an hour earlier
We would have seen a sight,
Opposite sides were in regret
Dying to prove who’s cause was right,

The damage wasn’t obvious
It took several more hours to show
That decomposition had now set in
And settled fast onto their bones,
Loosened the fibers from their clothes,
Then the yew from their bows,

We picked at them and laughed
At how stupid their sacrifice seemed,
On the cliffs we sat till morning
Staring through all this decay
Gift wrapped in this machine,

We slip from day to day
In this dour fevered dream