CADEN’S FAREWELL
(Lewinsville Churchyard, November 2010)
Digging is hard when one’s
two
and thick-mittened, and wet bitter
wind
plasters leaves on the stones.
Yet you, down-hooded, seeing
sandbox
in shovels, ran to slide
clods
on his square cherry box.
So I knelt to help you:
four hands cradling space
where the pulse slows,
by a shallow hole
holding a single red
ceremonial rose.
From Mizmor L'David [Melody of King David]: 2017 Anthology (Poetica, 2017)