Gardiner's Compass

Solid, cold metallic comfort

Pocketed in the syncopated whirl of compass swirl, time, heart
Echoes the heavier boom, thud of bomb, grenade, artillery.

The compass destined to guarantee

Those lost, would find their way home

A blazing neon light of idealised comfort - home.

Grandad trialled it, almost wore out the warranty

The compass brought him home from the swampy deluge,
Bloody horror
,
Surrounding, overwhelming thud of Vietnam chopper blades.

Great Grandad Gardiner enveloped the compass of warmth to homely comfort Gardiner guarantees led though the bloodiest battalions at Poziéres.

Now I'm the Gardiner... Where is home? Alongside my age old companion,
Compass whirls and swirls.