Song of the Turning Key*

                 for Yuri Daniel (1925-1988)

              I'm a turning key   a turning key

              I'm one of three   one of three

              there's two spare ones   then there's me

              the best of the three    that's me

              I'm a locking up key   a locking up key

              I've got a dirty job   a very dirty job

              I lock Daniel in his cell all night

              & try as I might   try as I might

              I can't resist the turn of the screw

              that uses me   that uses me   so miserably

              the proudest key of the three   that's me

              I'm an unhappy key   an unhappy key

              the nasty screw that uses me

              don't like Danny and he don't like me

              he's threatened to throw me away

              I'm the littlest key    the littlest key

              if I'm thrown away   they won't find me

              I'm such a little key   Oh can't you see

              I'm the saddest key of the three    help me

                        ENVOI

Smoke

beside a path

charred circles

after fire

flameless embers

breeze sifts ash

in the air

if I could incant

my words

like smoke

my clear words

might dissolve

in meaning

but Polish poets

Jews   Gypsies

chimneys

camps

smoke

copyright © Dick Russell 2015

*(from Spring 1968, published in Workshop New Poetry, UK)

                                © Dick Russell, 2015