Owen's Lament

Augie March

Level your fretting.

I won't be forgetting

The flush of your face

When I lifted you level

To me and a wattle tree

Framed your body



In whispers welling with

The dope of a new Spring

You said "Kill me a dynasty

Or our love won't mean a thing..."

A bullet for a diamond ring

A favour promised

A promise delivered

And more to you



It's only a war I'll be back

To your shore before

You know it I'm gone,

Then I'll cover you body

And if you have to go

Please go lightly

Keep it to a foxtrot

Whether he's a fox or not



Keep it cold,

Keep all your heat for me

I'll be needing it

For when I'm cold you see

Let your children

Remind you of me

Whether by another or

By the ghost in me in you

There goes my baby



I would think of you

And a palmtree would

Cover your body

You...in love and war

We are bound by a law,

It goes to you and then

To yours to recover my body



She bound me up and hugged me

'O how the mother loves thee'

She covered my body

In a ragged flag and bloody

O not on your life.