News

The Parting

Susan Livermore of Wilmington
Published: April 26, 2007

They delude themselves --

these shavings of stained glass,

strewn like broken hearts

on the fading forest floor.

Each bears a parting gift,

a goodbye,

in shades of passion and

shades of peace;

grace,

before all dignity, is squandered.

But death

has crawled upon their backs,

camouflaged against the

very celebration

of its coming.

And death

has stolen their final words,

snatched their hope

for a legacy.

They flutter down

to death's door,

a whisper,

unprepared to abide

in the perpetual melancholy

of a withered wonder.

Beauty

has come before

the fall.