Stephen Kilmer Poet Free verse

Pointe Coupee Parish

The last living light
Twinkles in his dead eyes
Alive a moment ago but now gone
Someone should shut them
A stare so lonely
Into a place that only he knew
He’s lying there on the floor 
Bleeding hard from the head
Police don’t even bother
Just pay him his respects
It’s cold and lonely down there
Watching life go on
Knowing your no long part of it
Just a passenger who had made the final stop
It may not be where you are going 
But it’s definitely where you will be


Somewhere down the line.
As he bled out no one stopped to care
He was nobody to them just a drifter
But even a drifter has a mother somewhere
His mother would have cared
Take him sweet Jesus and show him the way
He hath walked with the devil and a sawed off shotgun
Wrecked the lives of plenty a poor boy
Down on the wharf along the shore
Somebody cover him till darkness falls
Then we will carry him to Pointe Coupee parish
Across the river
And find his next of kin
Put him deep in that black gumbo
And let the devil do his work
For John Batiste was a man
Who needed no help
They’ll be frying up cracklin’s 
At JP’s on Saturday night
Someone will crumble a beer can 
And cuss John Batiste.

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Laura Breidenthal October 20, 2013 at 6:56 PM "But even a drifter has a mother somewhere" ...I love that line. I love the whole thing. WOW. Impressive composition Mister Kilmer! Always, Laura Stephen Kilmer October 20, 2013 at 7:13 PM Thank you. From a place far far away and from a time. Almost 30 years ago it took this one to surface...a Alway ~Kilmer

Kathryn Collins October 20, 2013 at 9:49 AM There you go again Stephen, touching the most lonely piece of my heart. No death parade for this unfortunate. Just wide open eyes with no one to shut them. 'Just a passenger who had made the final stop It may not be where you are going But it’s definitely where you will be' Great. Stephen Kilmer October 27, 2013 at 3:13 AM Thanks Kathy, You seem to be so in touch with what I am writing. You comments are outstanding thank you so much! I hope I haven't hit a piece of your heart that is too lonely! For we all know where the lonely go...~Kilmer

Jen Franks October 18, 2013 at 12:44 PM Wonderful sketch and I totally relate Stephen Kilmer October 18, 2013 at 6:46 PM What do you relate to? ~Kilmer

Kj Force October 17, 2013 at 7:23 PM Strange how society casts aside the unknown in their time of death. I liked the descriptive painting you did with your words...obviously this meant something of worth to you..nice job.Look forward to reading more of your work. Stephen Kilmer October 21, 2013 at 8:31 PM Thanks KJ, I appreciate the comment and kind words. ~Kilmer

Karen Anglesey October 16, 2013 at 9:57 PM Another exceptional story. Picturing the poor guy dead with his eyes open and the sad life he must have lead. All the detail you put in this made it rock ! Is John Batiste a real person? Stephen Kilmer October 17, 2013 at 6:30 AM Thanks Karen. He is a fictional character but could be any of several people I met in that part of the world.