Saturday, May 24, 2014

Remembering Our Heroes...



Memorial Day

BY MICHAEL ANANIA
It is easily forgotten, year to
year, exactly where the plot is,
though the place is entirely familiar—
a willow tree by a curving roadway   
sweeping black asphalt with tender leaves;

damp grass strewn with flower boxes,
canvas chairs, darkskinned old ladies
circling in draped black crepe family stones,   
fingers cramped red at the knuckles, discolored   
nails, fresh soil for new plants, old rosaries;

such fingers kneading the damp earth gently down   
on new roots, black humus caught in grey hair   
brushed back, and the single water faucet,
birdlike upon its grey pipe stem,
a stream opening at its foot.

We know the stories that are told,
by starts and stops, by bent men at strange joy   
regarding the precise enactments of their own   
gesturing. And among the women there will be   
a naming of families, a counting off, an ordering.

The morning may be brilliant; the season
is one of brilliances—sunlight through
the fountained willow behind us, its splayed   
shadow spreading westward, our shadows westward,   
irregular across damp grass, the close-set stones.

It may be that since our walk there is faltering,
moving in careful steps around snow-on-the-mountain,   
bluebells and zebra grass toward that place
between the willow and the water faucet, the way   
is lost, that we have no practiced step there,
and walking, our own sway and balance, fails us.
Michael Anania, “Memorial Day” from Selected Poems. Copyright © 1994 by Michael Anania

Come join us every week, as a group of us from around the world post our shadow shots over at Shadow Shot Sunday 2. Entertain your muse and be amused by stopping by to see what others have posted!

7 comments:

Jim said...

Never forget.

Magical Mystical Teacher said...

Remembering is something that many of us forget to do...

Checkered Shadows

Kathe W. said...

perfect for this weekend and for every day....never forgotten.

Kelly said...

Thanks for combining shadows with the reminder to remember!

Ralph said...

The poem is beautiful - no matter our age and how long ago was the battle we remember now, it is that we can never, indeed must remember, why those who served died for the country, for us to keep our freedoms in our grand republic. They sacrificed for us, we cannot forget...

Chubby Chieque said...

A great poem to all heroes. May God Bless their souls.

Happy SSS my beautiful Molokai Girl.

Hugs,
/CC

robin. said...

lovely post Paula!! happy weekend.

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