Her Brother
Black clouds smother storm-grey sky,
wind-washed rock whispers, sighs,
soldiers laugh, women cry,
Black clouds smother storm-grey sky.

Black eyes gaze on far-flung hill,
heart runs after, has the will
and yet the dusty feet are still
so black eyes gaze on far-flung hill.

Dusty feet on wall of stone,
a pair they are, and yet alone.
Two other feet much like her own
walked the sea, now pierced, atone.

(Serpent sly in garden lay,
watching feet of girl-child play,
Brother saw, that bygone day
with sure thrown blade did serpent slay.

Brother kept a shop in town,
t'was there the keen-edged blade was found.
With Father cypress was cut down,
Planed, scoured then iron-bound.)

Wood and iron now bind hand
lifted high above the sand;
thus the dark'ning world is spanned,
crimson shines a trickling strand.

A far-cried shout, Brother sighs
but sister cannot hear the cries,
the sun is missing from the skies,
and Earth itself now shakes and sighs.

Sister, driven to dusty knees,
one time blind, but now she sees
as Brother once had hushed the seas
now Nature roars beneath her knees.

Black clouds smother storm-grey sky,
soldiers shout Sister cries.
For all men did her brother die,
the morning star of dawn-streaked sky.