Franklyn's Tale - Spring

The third and final part of Franklyn's Tale

The warmth came slowly

and suddenly.

A thaw that melted his frozen heart

and broke it, and

put it back together again.

This thaw came, as everything

in his life had come,

in the form of a woman. Someone

he'd known long ago,

back before the 'ol in Frankie.

She'd been a fantasy, then.

One of his gemstone dreams.

Anna. An untouchable,

who'd taken pity on a poor boy

and his happy delusion. 

He met her, years later. 

And she saw him. Saw him!

Franklyn couldn't stand it,

though every fond look

brought him warmth.

He resolved to make her his,

to show her Franklyn,

a man worthy of her 

attention. Her eyes sparkled

and said she would meet him again.

Ah, she'd be the crown jewel!

He told his ladies about her,

whispered to them all night,

a whiskey in one hand

and the world in the other.

But he should have known.

Should have feared the warmth in his chest.

Feared the slick ice,

cracking and shifting.

'ol Frankie had loved her too.

They met - would you believe it! - in

that same tavern

where Illisa had broken him.

Said she knew he'd come here as a kid.

Damn woman! Bless her soul.

Perhaps it was her

or the place. He didn't know,

didn't care. He had a bit too much 

to drink, did Franklyn. 

Said things he shouldn't have.

Tol' her what scum ol' Frankie had been.

Fire in her eyes, that's what he saw.

She tried to leave, but he wouldn't let her.

Nobody left him! Not now that he was better!

"No class" she'd said, and walked out.

It echoed round his head,

fracturing and splintering Franklyn

revivin' his frozen soul. No class.

A slap to the face. He was an imposter.

A shattered collection of glass trinkets.

A real humpty-dumpty,

that's what his mother would have said

cooing at her baby, promising him

dreams of wealth and station.

Dreams of diamonds.

He knew what to do.

Ol' Frankie workin the gears one last time,

he wrote his note, sat in his chair.

Swallowed his death like a man. Many little pills.

Drowsy now. Drowsy. It's just like going to sleep.

Sleep...

Perhaps he would dream of diamonds...

And as the world dissolved into white he knew he'd never see summer...