Neil Harvey

He came from Hagerstown

A premonition in the creeks of Antietam

His story ringing centuries round

A haunting is a tragedy repeating 

Make Ready.

 

In the shadows blue of the Allegheny

That rolling storm of distant trees

It’s like a tidal wave did freeze

Stopped. Afraid. Like when Neil was first betrayed 

Make Ready, Neil Harvey.

And keep your mouth closed, Harvey, and run away

 

He flew past the hills [to] where the map marked the bay

[Where] “A horrible mart/fled slowly away"

Make ready: RUN

 

Blue starry flag on the rifle-barreled bow

The eyelets staring, the anchors hanging down

It was on the dog watch; Was he locked in fear or lost in thought?

Did the sextant show an apparition? That moment again: The frozen recollection.

Reduced to a babe who assumed he’d be saved by god or man or inaccurate range

The next thing he saw, a powder monkey so brave

Sponge down the barrel and ram it down

 

You never know what the end is going to bring

It’s a haunting repeating

Make ready, Neil Harvey

And hang your mouth open