Anna Savory

Fort Pitt Grammar School, Chatham, Kent

Sestina 102 ; 26

And I saw everything and all shift but
Subtly, with run-ons only loosely changed,
No matter how apparent and with words,
And one event (of little weight to me) formed lines,
To the effect that nothings staid but that,
All cycled, no change permanently made,

And based on one event, we met, he made
Me read some book (all teddy bears and toffs) but,
He seemed to like it, though he told me that
He’d drifted off tradition, long since changed,
Doubted return but still read prophesy in better lines,
(Real vagueness as to which) I, sure he knew then, noted words,

They met again in Lourdes to hear gold words,
And from station to station still to make,
‘their solitary way’ in pious lines,
And I, yet unconvinced, despite their ‘but
He looks the part for nothings solely changed’
He was to be regained and that was that,

Given the depths of it, I confess that
It had no bearing on me, far less than words,
Noted ‘a twitch upon the thread’ and he was changed,
Better or worse for it, changed, staid, he made
A case for the suspicion that it’s but
A constant cycle now traced out in lines,

Curved subtle lines with runons constant lines,
Which ultimately lead to their beginnings that
Nothing is solely changed I’d heard that, but,
Much changed, then back again, with words,
Or chance or both or situation made,
For clarity and revelation changed,

Ultimately though I saw the point, all changed,
Or cycled rather, repeated in weak lines,
In demonstration of the fact that ends made,
But beginnings and his interim that
Is surplus all, uneven beats and words
Can find some pattern with that ebb and flow but…