Ppppink
For the Want of a Bone
Part 1 - Outdoors
Part 2 - Indoors
Part 1 - Outdoors
The fabric form,
you hold to your command,
never allowing it to
shroud your form.
The only place you allow is beneath,
like a mountain yourself,
enabling you to tower,
as you once did.
On the first of the warm days after that winter, the villagers started to feel the heavy burden of looking after a giant’s bones; found, while they hunted for the lost funeral party following Corpse Pass across the mountain range.
That winter, they hoped to make a bit more ends meet by displaying their find in a makeshift museum, situated in a cottage kitchen, where the torn and naked ridged body could lay. The corpse was way too brittle to carry down in one piece, so each villager carried a bone, arranging to meet up in one week to rebuild the giant for display.
That winter, they tried to forget the images of the two-hundred-person funeral party sprinkled through the frozen solid loch, like one of Gran's frozen fruit salads.
That winter, where they realised that the funeral party had perished crossing Stank Loch, when the warring giant was fatally hit on the head by an incoming bolder and fell backwards into the Loch, causing the ice to rupture and to crack open. The funeral party followed the giant moments after.
That winter, they had to camp overnight on the mountain top, each nestled with a giant’s bone.
On this warm day, they did climb down the still wet and sloughing mud paths.
On this day, they felt summer coming at the bottom of the hill and winter staying at the top.
On this day, they struggled down the slope, shoes not gripping, fearing that they would have to take them off and go barefoot, committing to the cuts and tears that would accumulate on the soles of their feet.
On this day, their bodies ached, and they had sores on their hands and feet from dragging the giant’s bones down to the village.
On this day, their heads started to crackle, crunch, and feel heavier to carry.
On this day, they found a wanting for a bed, for coming off the hill had taken it all, their faces could no longer move as well, and their jaws sagged, refusing to lift.
On this day, they lay down, lay down their heads, so heavy, so rigid, so tight and frozen.
On this day their heads turned to stone while clutching a giant’s bone.
A few days later, someone came in.
Someone came into the village, still and serene.
Someone walked down to see a friend.
To see that the friend was still laying still in bed.
To see a friend, with a rock for a head.
Part 2 - Indoors
I have a giant's corpse, it's on my kitchen table.
We dragged it out Stank loch, you know, up Ben Ledi.
See, the skeletal hand still clutches the remnants of the fatal boulder.
It is rumored that the Fingalian was warring with their kind.
In a last attempt, the giant threw a rock, recoiling it backward,
smashing through the ice capped lake.
I'm just holding on it the now, the villagers are coming round tomorrow
- they want a bone each.
For the want of a bone,
all their heads turned to stone.