Bringing Life

I must find a way to bring life to my study of death--
breath of the body to the bones and the gravestones,
touch and feel and caress
to the academic examination of wailing cries and farewells,
scent of decay, acrid in my nostrils,
eyes heavy and heart open.
Humanity weeps.
My own tears fall.

© Christine Salkin Davis, 2018

Popular posts from this blog

Anniversary Memories

(upon the anniversary of my dad's death)

Afternoon shadows deepen
and anniversary memories trigger the saddest day of my life.
Twenty-seven years of loss feels like yesterday
and I struggle to remember
your voice,
your smile,
your laughing eyes,
dry sense of humor inherited.

I learned,
but under-appreciated
your stoic sense of responsibility and self-control, commitment, and incapsulated joy,
respect,
and I just want you to know,
I appreciate you
now.

© Christine Salkin Davis, 2018

Read more

Tropical Depression

Carrying coffee around like a baby's
bottle, appreciating the electric grid
and praying it holds, still
safe and dry, some aren't,
pelting rain sounding like ping
pong balls dropping against the back
drop of howling wind, flood
warnings widespread, refuged by
brick, buried cables, some aren't,
trees taking the brunt, waving
limbs, so far so good,
some aren't so fortunate. Bird
singing in the storm, dog
at my feet, sheltered, protected,
some aren't.

© Christine Salkin Davis, 2018




Read more

Reta's Garden

Water flowing, flame inspiring, life
reclaiming, birdsounds and laughter, friendly face,
soaring birds, spirit everywhere.
Greening power of life, abundant, lush
into death, cycled rebirth, air and sun,
invitation, spirit within, communal
bonds, now and ever.

© Christine Salkin Davis, 2018

Read more