Out of This World

Cherry

By EB

Thu, 02 Jul 2015
  • 3060 reads
13 comments
 

Down by the grave we knelt 

chaining old times to the grass as we picked it

and laughed 



under the scorch that dried up salt

in rivers of sweat that ran down the lanes 

of our aging masks, while Daniel slept,

forever 18 - and unaltered.



After she'd slooshed the silk flowers

under the watering tap,

she lit a small candle 



which flustered a seeming cool

in the bright fired air. And soon after

she'd lit it we left, thinking again

how flames quickly flare 

and dance out of this world unnoticed.



And with a last flick of her duster

on the black marble marker, she whispered, 

That's all for today, Son,



I'll be back before Christmas. No tears - 

she had warned us, he's not really here. 



And I knew...



But it felt like we'd left him again -

too young and alone, but for a bottle of Bud

that would never be opened.

Certificate 12
Poem
Autobiography

Comments

Submitted by Silver Spun Sand on

Poignantly beautiful.

Tina

 

Submitted by EB on

Thanks Tina. 

Submitted by skinner_jennifer on

Loved the metaphors in this poem:

Chaining old times to the grass as we picked it and laughed. Great line.

Also:

She lit a small candle

which flustered a seeming cool

in the bright fired air. And soon after

she'd lit it we left, thinking again

how flames quickly flare

and dance out of this world unnoticed.

There's a sense of acceptance about this poem that is beautifully written.

Jenny.

 

Submitted by EB on

Thanks Jennifer. 

Submitted by Bee on

You'd think it would be only sad to visit a grave, but it isn't always, and there's comfort to be had. 

Bee

Submitted by EB on

Yes comfort, for sure! Thanks Bee.

Submitted by celticman on

eighteen, bursting with life, when you believe your a man but just a boy, chained to the grass, forever, or until forgotten. Sad. Funnily enough a guy reversed in a van today and shouted my brother's name. he thought I was him. He's dead, of course, but not forgotten. 

 

Submitted by EB on

Must have been unnerving. Thanks for reading. 

Submitted by Parson Thru on

Beautiful, EB. Bit close to home but a wonderfully rendered piece. Very intimate and leaves a lasting image.

Parson Thru

Submitted by EB on

Pleased it left an image, that's great. Thanks Parson Thru.

Submitted by EB on

My thanks to the editors for the cherries. 

Submitted by Philip Sidney on

A beautiful personal reflection but that cool brief flame also feels like a tribute to all of our lost ones.

Submitted by EB on

Thanks Philip that means a lot.