a jewel in the forest
placed high on a mountain
at rest in a sepulchre
over the town
home for a princess
send him your dowry to
purchase your tomb
enter the west door
people who loved her
enter the west door
under the domes
enter to see matryoshka
your mother
enter to see her eternal home
brought as a child bride
niece of tsarina
fleeing the famine sunk deep
in the bones
hailed by the peasants
duchess of
nineteen years to
remember their song
enter the south door
sisters and brothers
enter the south door
under the domes
enter to see matryoshka
your sister
enter to see her eternal home
lost to her young man
grief poured in building
a gem in the forest
high hidden in hills
five fiery domes under
five southern crosses
a tomb for his young bride
his child’s only home
enter the west door
people who love her
enter the west door
under the domes
enter to see matryoshka
your mother
enter to see her eternal home
mother and infant
both shells of each other
lying in state there alit
by the flames
worshipped as royals
loved as no others
lost to their homeland
before they were gone
enter the south door
sisters and brothers
enter the south door
under the domes
enter to see matryoshka
your sister
enter to see
her eternal home
