No Longer Waterproof (Poetry)

I want to shrug off this ugly crippled body
leave it like an old ragged raincoat
stained, torn by heartache and
the soul’s too-weary fighting

Let them find it where I dropped it —
on the platform of some station
quiet and not unlike Adlestrop
where I alone waited for a train

Let them turn out the pockets
attempt to identify — find some clue
to who the rag belonged to...
All they’ll find is holes —

the yawning absence of a life
half-lived, half-dreamed — the one I might
                                                        have had
if the material had been suitably stronger
and the bone buttons had lasted a wish or two
                                                                longer ...

Instead, emotion’s weather ripped and rained until
my lining’s gone — my cuffs and collar frayed
well past repair — there’s nothing to be done
but dump it — shed this skin and (naked) travel on