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POETRY 2024: An old man stands at the cemetery by Scott Harrison
Manage episode 413052035 series 3433904
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An old man stands at the cemetery
by Scott Harrison
An old man stands in the cemetery with his handful of forget-me-nots.
An only son, he is here in this field with all his brothers.
He keeps company with his old friend who is always much younger than him.
He feels tired, weary, but stands up straight and smiles for his pal.
There is a busy street of stores to the north.
A few kids play on the basketball court in the twilight to the east.
Mothers push baby carriages just south of the hundreds of white stones.
And west is where the red sun slowly drops as everyone knew it would.
The old man hears nothing as if a large glass dome has descended on this place.
Soon he is aware of the sound of his own heart as it beats out its eternal rhythm.
He knows this is the only conversation they can have.
It is a good one, rich with the subtleties of their long relationship.
As he bends down to place his flowers next to his friend’s stone,
A bird sings them both a sweet little song, and looks down from her branch.
It takes him a minute to lift himself back up, and in that slowed-down time,
His friend, in just a few heart beats, says good-bye and be well.
Some folks are looking for bargains at the bed stores on this Memorial Day.
Others are celebrating on this first day of a long-earned summer.
One old man is standing alone among his brothers, not forgetting.
To the east, a kid on the court has stopped playing and watches the still man.
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