Wednesday, August 19, 2009

Poem: Beyond the Grave


Beyond the Grave


You walk past the graveyard at dusk,
the shadows faint in the falling light,
the rugged fence open, no oppostition
to your climbing over
and into this place of the dead.

But why?
Why linger here, where those who have passed
are dark soil,
their remains not what they once were,
but nourishment now to life ongoing,

like your own past,
dead and rotting,
gone except for the lessons learned,
and hopes grown tall and verdant
on what lies behind,
true grace, God given,
vibrant and dancing
beyond the grave.

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The picture was taken in Sandgate, Vermont. You can click on it for a larger version.

Tom

4 comments:

Tess Kincaid said...

I love that last line, Tom. So full of hope and expectancy.

Shadow said...

'dancing beyond the grave' love that line!

Unknown said...

Hi Tom,

Although I don't like to think of my own past as "dead and rotting",
it is nice to think of
"hopes grown tall and verdant".

Tom Atkins said...

Derrick,

I think there are things in most of our pasts that we would like to be dead and rotting - bad experiences, mistakes, wrong turns - but even as they fade into the past, they can become food for new growth, change and something alive and well - IF we let them.

Willow and Shadow - thank you both for your kind words.