Accident

the torso sways and bends
the truck end bloodied, dented
glassed the tarmac
small cuboid crystals like the stock of rocks
in odd glass shelfs in chemistry
time takes away
the pathologist
the most unembalmed of human cadavers
wields a scalpel not too brutal
in respect of beauty
cold and cloven, part propped
castles of formaldehyde and trolleys and paperwork
just statistics re RTA's, just collision fatals
the gambling mind will know the injustices of chance
but why did this pierce your sphere of temperament
you've seen them dead before, a small abrasion
or heads as flat as furry mouldy cherry crepe
but two young girls arrayed across a mini
both non capitis has made you wretch
and wretched like a stomach punch
whatever you may think
I admire you for both being there
and for feeling sick on odd occasions
but like a modest winter
the roots grow back and branches sprout again
and scars once deep on old beech trees
are spread and barely read some fifty on
time has lacquered with its balm