Bill Duffy isn’t Dead
A poem
Bill Duffy isn’t dead
Sheltered housing, Royal Free
Alone in a hospital morgue
No next of kin, no one to call
Bill Duffy isn’t dead
You didn’t cash the cheque I sent
Unusual for you
I called, I wrote
I spoke your name
Bill Duffy isn’t dead
I gave up smoking years ago
But I’ll smoke one now with you
My friend, old friend, Bill Duffy
Bill Duffy who isn’t dead
They say we all die twice
The second time is when
Our name is spoken one last time
Bill Duffy isn’t dead
I’ll speak your name often
I’ll speak your name aloud
Farewell old friend Bill Duffy
Bill Duffy, who isn’t dead.
A note of explanation: Bill Duffy, was the friend of a close friend. He died in The Royal Free hospital in London where his body lay unclaimed for some time. There were problems tracing his next of kin and the sheltered housing unit where he lived did not call me, as they…
