on the dock

his open eyes tell you
of his brave conduct so far

they would break him and bind him
they would wind him and bottle him
into a jar
off to Australia

with the jail behind his back
where chain-links are bodies of brothers
facing east now on the dock
rebel Thomas black and blue
weighs the ties now being torn
and the storms lying ahead

wicked times were those in Wicklow
yet the sun comes in new resistance
and waves say it again and again

men of justice walk on water
buried or hung, they are in the sun
Thomas struggles, swallows, staggers
leans on the sun
his turn again