jdubqca

dying in the dead of winter

one by one they die off
and every spring
they come back to life

they die off in threes
one-two-three
like a nursery rhyme

sometimes
all of them on the same day
other times over three days
four or five days
maybe as many as seven

we bury them
& then we move on
counting the days
the weeks
the months
the years

did you see where
she died on the third day
I was asked

yes I answered
& I am certain she will return
soon after the winter solstice
or the one after that

silence ensued
along with a smile
& a nod





january two thousand twenty-three
copyright j matthew waters
all rights reserved