Wednesday, June 1, 2011

How Some News Travels



as time binds us 


oddly in a wavering hand, I turned pages of 30 years 
to question whether it was truly your corpse 
photographed in a pure white suit mourning 
the voice that graced millions...

while our lives crossed and hesitated for a 
short moment back then, it matters nothing that 
we hadn't stayed in touch over decades; 

it matters only that one of my tree-ring measures 
has shed circles to permanent winter as my 
seasons bind and release me. 

but for how long? 

mortality reminds us of these 
borrowed sheddings.

as time binds us,
how did I come to know of your milestone 
after so many lives between our eyes, 
after so many eyes between those living 
and passed? 


Poem © 2011 R. Burnett Baker 
Photo borrowed from Google Images. 
With thoughts and prayers to the 
friends and family of  YL.  


5 comments:

  1. I found myself aching to these words, to this wisdom only the likes of you can flesh out. This is done, Rick! Let those questions stay afloat.

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  2. A very sad and lovely piece, Rick. Thanks for sharing it.

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  3. you really know how to make people think about things... like the posting...

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  4. Yes, it is a sad but lovely poem. It brings to mind my friend G3 as our lives crossed some 30 odd years ago. I miss her dearly. Thank you for these words.

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