old friend

an old friend of mine recently stretched his neck on a line
a thought from his past he was always able to put his mind in check
the lack of plumbing work for a year in a half
stress wearing thin on the trades man brain he cracked jokes and would laugh
he was invited to a party to try to relax for a night
only to meet up with a acquaintance from his past and get in a fight
scrapping with his cell mate who had taken out his sons mom
the sight of the two was all it took to cook his head like a bomb
the last promise he made her made was the promise he kept
he disappeared for 3 days in the woods as his poor mother wept
his childhood house was on the forest edge
is where the raccoons found him where he stepped off the table edge
a swinging white cloud that was jet black smoke lined
the waste of a life 40 years young hung out back on the line
enraged with the state of the silenced unemployed union