Les Murray

Tribute-Runes for Alan Brigadierson

Chaos of hair
            khaki mind-voyager
jailed for Vietnam
            in skald-wars jocular
briefly, about the line
            bent on to rig arts
deadpan, its hauliers
            for decades kept him poor
Stern genial book-judge
            self-excelling was his refuge
right and wrong friends
            in him found good faith
solar neck pullovered
            unpresumer of allegiance
these for your pen-satchel’s
            crimson-edged straps