On The Sleeve

Do you ever think you're ill?
I do.

I'll share this with everyone in the room,
My grandfather died in pain.
When I last saw his body it was
Just skin wrapped on bone and he was dying.

You don't smoke do you?
No Grand-da.
And he punched me lightly on the cheek.

A man I could never be.
My other grandfather,
He whistles for his wife

Whe-whe-whe-whe-whe-whei.

And when he dies
I won't shed a tear.

And so it makes me wish
Makes me scream at my wet ceiling
makes me balk at the heels
That I didn't
When John Sheppard
Last good man on earth
Died with a tumour removed
That was bigger than
My own sullen and aborted emotion.