Orcus The shadow flowers of orcus remember nothing bleak wind blows between them for a time then ceases atop white sunless cliffs whose splintered toes are sprayed by endless, foaming solitudes they grow among them half a figure sinks to kneel her cronal head bends slant along some im- possible curve half here half there her fingers touch the spray the no-more sea casts off across the surf and reach bare bones the tips 'gainst which the bubbles burst and drip from 'ere their salt could crust the bones bare and rough in seething turmoil word waves break below and bring dissolving truths out far to sea and loss upon her teeth bounce sounds shirk up break down and some perenial whisper lays about the gloom yet on her face what face she has yet mimes towards the dark that shows a sight to her so stark she longs to dive to sink and drown in what has been and see the distant shore once more from then the gentle sloping beach the many shades of rising land and there's a path that leads towards The shadow flowers of orcus shift, bleak wind blows a time between them, old youth the mewling dead. #poem #poetry #dementia #memory