phil still existed
and the universe insisted
that he get up every day
with his role to play
he had no excuse
his head was in the noose
but something impelled him
to his destiny, however dim
phil went down to the street
despite the fact that his brain was beat
another day of desperation beckoned
then something happened on which he had not reckoned
for the second time in 24 hours
a stranger felt empowered
to approach phil without prelude
or asking if he was in the mood
for direct interrogation
as to his existence and station
in this mysterious world of flux and flow
in which things come and go
the newcomer had eyes dark and bright
in a face quite wrinkled and white
that stirred a faint recollection
in part of phil’s brain - the section
triggering primal fear -
my friend, it would appear
the stranger began with confidence
that by fate you have been sent
to close a book that has been open too long
to bring an end to a sad song
to bid a weary traveler drop his pack
to tell the prodigal he can come back
to end a farce playing to an empty house
to bid the panther make friends with the mouse
to make a long story short, forthwith
phil - you see before you bill smith!
the insanity of youth has cooled
by that nasty bitch emily brown we were both fooled
by even demons of lust we were ruled
let us no longer be their tools
phil could not believe what he heard
inside his brain a strange motor purred
was he a ship that had never sailed?
he gaped as bill resumed his tale
i ran into whitey black last night
he had seen you with his own sight
when his words a message to my brain did send
i knew my quest had come to an end
they say revenge is best served cold
but even better left to shrivel and mold
we have only one race to run
beneath a single fading sun
why waste our lives in silly contests
when time is a river that never rests
and the sky is an empty page
that never records our joy, despair or rage
with these and similar remarks
bill regaled phil - a few sparks
landed on phil’s befuddled brain
but he would never be the same again
come, said bill, let me buy you a drink
let us nor care what anyone thinks
whether our so-called honor was lost or won
how is that the business of anyone?
phil followed bill in a daze
no bystanders were amazed
or made of them any mention
their reconciliation attracted no attention
bill and phil became great buds
and sat on park benches watching the floods
of embattled humans roll on by
as leaves and raindrops fell from the sky
in passing, we should mention
that in another dimension
emily brown in time’s web was caught
but never gave bill or phil a thought
i hope you found this poem uplifting
but now my brain is drifting
down a river on a cloudy day
i have nothing more to say
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