Eternal

[tectak]

I don't live in Scotland, you knob  The Tweed River here at the coast is the border between NSW and Qld.  The vernacular is specific to the place.  "Where are you going tonight?" "Down the dockside bar for a few coldies mate."

"Balmy eve" is important as Mike is also a knob, although of a different sort.  He sees Jess as a cliche.

Sapphic odes don't rhyme.  It's about the meter:

Trochee/ trochee/ dactyl/ trochee/ trochee
Trochee/ trochee/ dactyl/ trochee/ trochee
Trochee/ trochee/ dactyl/ trochee/ trochee
Dactyl/ trochee

Will think on "remnants".  How would "flotsam" work?

Nobody's saying owt to anyone.  Omniscient narrator -- I guess that's out of favour with today's privilege of I.

If you can think of a substitute for "team" that's not going to screw up the dactyl, I'm all ears.

Mike is not a protector, though no doubt he thinks he is.  He protects her from ever having to interact with the world again.  Would it be clearer if I had "When the knock came, grandmother knew the reason"?

Oh. That's alright then...but  how come you bleedin' antipodes nicked our river...huh? Answer that why don'tcha...
Best,
tectak

men and alcohol make a potent punch....you have already had a cocktail.
... bucket filled with echoes of...after all, it is impossible to tip anything in to a bucket which is matter-full, remnants or not.