.
To my son Arlie, (1972 – May 25, 2017)
.
Now I understand
the keening wail,
the rocking forwards,
backwards
so different
from the lullaby
the cradling
from long ago.
It’s forward, release,
forward
release
the pain
as it bursts through
a damn
in the solar plexus.
.
The medics came
from experience
guessing it was a heart attack.
He had keened
his own losses
too many times.
We rock and release,
rock
and release
the keening wail,
the keening wheel
that won’t stop turning
around and around
and around.
.
(c) 2017 Betty Hayes Albright
Seasonings 