Riverside By the Fire

off the river there is an ever bitter cold 

it is always the same  the remains of

an unrelenting presence an eternal call

you cannot shout down  pray away 

standing in a room of eyes mourning nervous chatter

the ashes are still warm in the nicely figured 

well oiled wood

the bouquet whispers its heavenly oath 

your eyes wander 

you alone wonder where all 

the men have gone 

what do they know that you don't 

are they being held against their will

or just killed off by boredom sport 

work or god 

here the women bow longer 

to their own losses 

their haunting sorrows are their shallow graves 

left unattended there are no tearful prayers  

no angel choir cries 

of hallelujah 

you feel only the outside cold

seeping bitterly 

deep within 

their quieted

but troubled

hearts

JPPestana

Riverside By the Fire

2.23.2022

surely it was there

all along