Franky's Gone

 

Franky's Gone

by

Peter Green

Franky's Gone

Left on Monday

Took his shadow with him

Didn't say goodbye

Might be riding

The rails

Fleeing from his life

Steel wheels click-clacking

A stow away in the boxcar

Huddled in the corner

Ahh

Sweet smell of wet hay

Day old cow s**t

and gin

Or

50,000 feet above

The frozen tundra

Watching ice form on the wings

Chasing his dreams

His pot 'o gold

Dancing through the clouds

Waiting for the

Beverage cart

Frankie might have

Hitched a ride

To the 'Soo'

From that woman

Slender and sleek with

Short bobbed hair

A smile that would kill

Eyes drilling through hearts

Tears flowing down sharp cheeks

Her love gone bad

Maybe Franky's

Hiding behind

Grimey stained

Glass windows of his room

While he spies the old woman

Across the street

With the bag

Fighting the shopping cart

Overflowing with

butt filled bottles

- Molson Canadian

Wiser's Blend

Gimli Goose

and

Cat's Pee in a Mulberry Bush -

I know!

Franky's on his evening stroll

In the Street

Off to Mac's

Sucking fresh grey clouds of exhaust

Inhaling intoxicating fumes from wet freshly cut lawns

Through his nose

In need of

A pac 'a smokes an' mix an' the daily rag

Is it Tuesday?

That's it

He's burning on the treadmill

Sweating

Jiggling belly

Cheeks puffing

Watching the girls in tights 'n tees

-Bouncing-

Nope

But I did see Franky

 

Thursday, I think

From 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM

Said right there in the Paper

Sounded like he was

The guest of honor

This was his show

The 'Main Attraction'

Oh ya!

Franky was

All laid out

On display

In the big brown box

Flowers positioned

Just so!

Sweet, rich, blooming

Pinks and reds and whites and lavender

So fresh, so alive

Standing in water

Drinking

Where do they go

after

The bright light turns to

Bleak thick darkness

The heavy creaking doors lock

The music dies

The lid slowly shuts

And the man in the shadows

rolls him away

Into the fires

I saw Franky

Just lying there

Nice and comfy like

Arms crossed

I stood before him

Waiting for my words to come

I stared where Franky's eyes once sparkled

How can he see

When his lids are threaded shut?

Does it hurt, man?

When your blood runs dry

drip drip dripping

Into that white

Ice cream bucket?

Did you cry when your life flowed away

Down the scarlet stained sink

When your body lightened

When your eyes darkened

When your muscles tightened

When your brain softened?

Dressed up a like a doll

I've never seen you in a suit

Charcoal gray

Very nice

Blends in time with your skin

Shallow and thin

Is that rouge on your cheeks?

Isn't that the shirt you wore

To little Suzies Grad Night?

And that tie

'Black stripes with a hint of red

Will emphasize his eyes'

Remember?

That's what the sales man said

But

Doesn't really matter now

I knelt before Franky

Whispered

Franky...they cleaned ya up real good

Fixed up the beard

Put ya in nice clothes

Did your nails

Cut your hair

Looks dapper..except

I don't remember the part

and

Why so short?

Then I snap back

And realize

Franky's Gone

Reviews

[Misty Blue Eyes]

this is stunning.leaving me to cry lol

[Kerry O'Connor]

Sheer brilliance, is all I can say. What a journey to acceptance through convoluted paths of consciousness...