absent.canadian

Tread softly, heel-toe. Speak not one word.
Grass glistens among furrowed headstones.
Listen: thoughts drift. Sleep gently, my bird.

Lines deeply etched - my attention spurred.
“To Heaven She Went.” “To God His Thoughts Known.”
Tread softly, heel-toe. Speak not one word.

Lush leafy oaks, those shady plots preferred
and a single bird’s nest: her home, her own.
Listen: thoughts drift. Sleep gently, my bird.

Solemnity respected. Overheard:
“Why did he have to die?”�, she knelt and moaned.
Tread softly, heel-toe. Speak not one word.

Come here: a sea of white stones blurred by
“Known Only to God”�! Someone misses his bones?
Listen: thoughts drift. Sleep gently, my bird.

It matters not which - first, second or third:
look at any tree. Why hasn’t she flown?
Tread softly, heel-toe. Speak not one word.
Listen: thoughts drift. Sleep gently, my bird.

(this was a poem written for my recently-completed poetry class at NCSU.)

Blog poetry