Sunday, June 23, 2013

Memorial Day

Feeling somewhat righteous
On my knees, suddenly, it came to me --
Who will clean my grave
When I am gone
Beneath the dusty stone?
Who will find the time?
I know: none. Not one.
For all my young, it's not in you
To brood on what is gone.
Don't get me wrong.
You remember, you do,
Then let it pass on by.
My mountain grave --
Grow high with rose (with hope)
To overtake the rue.

3 comments:

  1. Ooooooh, this is really good. I especially love the admonition to "grow high with rose to overtake the rue". It reminds me of telling my sister I'd better be buried in her town so there'll be someone to tend the grave and her saying "you have four kids, cant one of them manage a posey?" hee hee.

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  2. Oh this is just lovely! I like that last phrase too.

    I was thinking about this over Memorial Day weekend - I walked down to see Mike's mom's grave & there were flowers there. I haven't been to my mom's grave since we interred her ashes - partly because she specifically requested that we NOT have a grave for her - she wanted no mourners over a piece of ground - but also because grave-tending isn't in my nature.

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  3. I am following in my parents footsteps and have donated the cadaver to a medical school. Why leave any part of me behind? I know you know Karen that I need not tell you how your short simplicity of words carry much potency and that i always appreciate the life of them.

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