5:49p.m. on May 5, 1821 on St. Helena

by Allen Seward

from three o’clock until
half-past four
there were hiccups and stifled groans
and
he moaned and yawned.

who retreats?

or,

who is
the head of the army?

the clock struck half-past five
in
the morning and
Napoleon was delirious and
speaking with great difficulty

head…army…

and
he lost the power of speech.

the hiccups became more
frequent

France…my son…

the night was very bad.
Josephine…

Allen Seward is a thirty-something poet-thing and mill worker. His work has appeared in Scapegoat Review and DEDpoetry, and his chapbook sway condor is available on Amazon thanks to Alien Buddha Press. He currently resides in WV with his partner and three cats.