One grainy autumn day 

he comes back to me 

I smile when I see him on the horizon 

and rush to him when he breaches our threshold  

 

Garlands 'round his neck, 

I hang about him too 

 - trembling arms - 

and breathe in sweat, and dirt, 

and salt on skin. 

 

I am not sure what will happen. 

I will myself to think happily 

or at least to not write a bad ending 

before its due.