Richard Boughton

BRANCH AND VINE

I am the branch
Of winter
And the vine
Of inconsolate shadow—
The sun of other days
Knows me no more,
But rises
On another land—
This was my kingdom
Of love,
These my daughters
And sons—
Now has my anonymous
Reign begun
Of a world unwanted,
Yet won

* * *

THE SEASON

This is the season
Of irrepressible autumn
And the day
Of diminishing return,
Of prayer gone
To stone deaf ears,
And sunflowers
Wrestled to the ground by the rain

Richard Boughton was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in July 2007. Since then he have been active in a number of online communities, posting reflections, ruminations, poems, etc. In the past he published a novel for middle age children (Simon and Schuster), as well as a number of short stories in various periodicals. He works as a medical transcriptionist.