northumberland

weight–heavy grey age–stone
thick–walled hunch–house villages
nurturers of pre–england

a norfolk tornado marred flew to kuwait
a land–air–missile huntress counted the well–worn expected four
got five—friend or destroy
no cancel—no wait—no time—you choose

your child is here
you choose

the navigator’s funeral
the rite shock–hearted coarse grief paused
four tornados flew steam low
black crescendo
steam low

one but–one but–one–rose one–rose one–rose–up rose–up up cloud–up high–cloud–up high–up high–up–beyond up–beyond beyond beyond–vision up–beyond–vision beyond–vision vision

grief–heavy grey death–stone
thick hunch–walled silent villages
nurture post–war numb