Strange Stillness on the Rochdale Canal by Bridge 87

Strange Stillness

At Bridge 87
The hottest night of the year,
I’m sat alone, drinking a beer.

A couple walked past,
sharing a large shopping bag.
It was so dark,
I hardly saw their faces.

I turned to the moss,
shimmering on the black canal.
I thought of Jeff —
another brother, dropped in.

I trilled my lips.
A physical release of tension
like a stifled sob,
a tremor on the brink of speech.
The body answers
what words cannot…

Time to walk home before
the meteor shower
I probably won’t see,
beside the calm, moss-filled water
that’s drawing me in.

Amen.

– Further Reading: Manchester canal drownings twice UK rate

– Read More by Skendong: Afternoon at Lock 81