Last Words

Last Words

They told me to use the last sentence
from the nearest book as the inspiration
for the first line of an epic poem.
But the only thing I have near
Is a dog-eared crossword collection.

From the nearest book, as the inspiration
For purloined words and rearranged letters
I tried to borrow a few lines and phrases
To create the kind of masterpiece and legends
That the likes of Poe or King would read.

For the first line of an epic poem
Should either come from the thinker’s heart,
Or a late night movie on channel 417,
Wherever the real inspiration lies,
As Inspiration for half written lies.

But the only thing I have near
Is the realization that some ships
Should never have been allowed
To leave the safety of a port
Sunwashed and dangerous gale hidden.

Is a dog-eared crossword collection
Full of mistakes and bad guesses
Permanently fixed with the smudging
of a worn eraser drug back and forth,
Like the words to the judge’s last sentence.

Last