Steady by Nathan Bednarek

Steady your lung-sighs during Sabbath
and sit in your once dark-brown
armchair; now a spreading cancer of
autumn beige steals the chair’s gown.

Steady your once youthful coal-mine arms
and grant your coal-lungs a rest –
for a mine that brings harvest like farms
is a mine where coal is best.

Steady your bare-chested coughs and breaths
and soothe an old opera-voice
that was once a harmony; your bluff,
a coherent vocal choice.

Steady your once hasty north-bound feet
and why not for once head south -
like birds that rule the skies in their fleets
and dream of warm winter boughs.

Steady yourself for once and listen
to a heart immersed in lung-
sighs and hear the gold of a coal-mine
like the north-fleeing bird songs...