Seventh Seal

carefully explaining haunting bergman black
and white cinema art,

chess game returning crusader knight plays
with death, grim reaper opponent,

violent threatening storm, young family,
horse and wagon desperate for safe haven,

von sydow, bjornstrong, bibi, providing
hint, mute suggestion about life's meaning,

hearing alethea, morning coffee drinking
friend reply, "i don't like bad movies, if they
bother me i turn them off,"

sending me back home muttering to myself
again, thinking of recent real estate ad, cheap
single room log cabin,

stocking in good supply of old bushmills,
dutch masters, aged dark cheddar, toilet paper,
some good poetry,

trusty 357 at the ready, three fresh rounds,
sure one way ticket to heaven or hell when it's
time.

-- T. Kilgore Splake