I am now older than you when your body was lostbetween solid and liquid
as death courted brother and foe
what thoughts rose as mountains within you yoke of war laying down the sun
dispossessed of youthyour name left upon my father like a mantleto fulfill what you were denied
the aerial mission a second home, each victory another way you could no longer return
how long did it take you to diethe sentence of your blood like Pontus Pilateownership forsaken, washed
in the bowl of sky of your upturned face
posthumously given a metal heart,Tin Man, you are the deep
decorated by stars you will never holdlike the hands of your children.
***
Image by Hanjörg Scherzer from Pixabay