A Song For Jack

Poet Jack J Locke passed away last week. We got to know each very well during the past year as we co founded The Charter Poets along with Blossom Thom. The doors were open wide for what we hoped would be a great future for the group. And now we are left rudderless without Jack, but we have promised each other to carry on in some fashion. Jack wouldn’t want it any other way. I considered him a good man, a friend. Whenever someone told an interesting story or related some personal experience, Jack would always suggest that there was “a poem in that.” Well, Jack died, and, yea, there are some poems in that. This is mine.

When a poet dies
Earth breathes deep
and sighs
The stars go dull
for a moment
The sky is awkward
drab hues
And the tides start
to subside
Because the moon just hides
When a poet dies

When a poet dies
we lose our words
we lose our minds
We search outside
but we’ve lost our words
we search inside
but we’ve lost our minds
and the moon just hides
when a poet dies

When a poet dies
let good hearts grieve and cry
let all kind people share
these songs
of laughing and living
and of fighting a good fight
and all through this
darkest of nights
We live in that Poet’s light
for the moon just hides
when a poet dies

Jack J Locke (JJ Lokshtanov) !957-2020