Bone cancer

By Bill Smith

Old frog croaking in the reeds

Aware he is dying

the old man decides

to gather his scribblings

Something is going to happen

I don't know what

the end of me is death

The hand that gripped the wheel

now hangs limp

thwarted by a pot of jam

Who will be home for Christmas?

children and grandchildren

will I still be here?

This is how it ends

I creep away from the feast

muttering apologies

Bill Smith is a political scientist and social policy administrator from Belfast. During Northern Ireland’s Troubles he worked for the Health Department supporting voluntary action and community development. Most of his previous writing has been in academic or mandarin-speak. Recently 70, he celebrates this as his first published poem.