Requiescat Mum

 

IN NEWFOUNDLAND

WHERE MOM WAS BORN

THE CEMETERIES IN THE COUNTRY

ARE SURROUNDED BY FENCES

THE ANIMALS EAT THE GRASS

FLAT

AROUND THE FENCE

BUT THE CEMETERY ITSELF

IS ALLOWED TO GROW WILD

I THINK IT'S A NEWFIE WAY

OF TELLING US

WHAT IS IMPORTANT

WE BURIED THE BODY OF MIRIAM

BUT WE DID NOT BURY MIRIAM

SHE IS MORE ALIVE TODAY

THAN WHEN SHE DWELT IN HER BODY

WE HONOR THAT BODY

WHICH GAVE US BIRTH

NURSED AND CARED FOR US

TAUGHT AND ADMONISHED US

HUGGED US

SCOLDED US

LIFTED US UP

AND SET US FREE

WE HONOR THAT BODY

SHE IS MORE ALIVE TODAY

THAN SHE EVER WAS

ALL THE QUESTIONS OF HER QUESTING MIND

ARE ANSWERED

AND WE WOULD DISHONOR HER MEMORY

AND HER TEACHING

IF WE ALLOWED SORROW

TO OVERWHELM US COMPLETELY

MOM WOULD RATHER WE REMEMBER HER LAUGHING

AS HARD AS IT MAY BE FOR US NOW

MOM WOULD RATHER

WE REMEMBER HER LAUGHING

SO WE SEND MOM'S BODY TO THE ELEMENTS

TO BECOME

EARTH

AIR

FIRE AND WATER

AND WE SHALL LEAVE

SADDENED BY HER PASSING

BUT ON HER BIRTHDAY

BE AWARE

OF A CURTAIN

MOVING IN THE WIND

OR THE SUN

SHINING ON A CLOUDY DAY

AND HEAR A VOICE IN YOUR HEAD

SAYING

I AM AT PEACE

ALL IS WELL

TELL THE WORD

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER