Gravestones

Gravestones.

Headstones.

Tombstones.

Just place holders.

Like bookmarks for bodies.

For the dead.

Or for the living?

Two faded, moss covered Gravestones.

Rachel A.

Wife of William Corles.

William Corles

Born June 22, 1834

Died October 10, 1863.

Blessed are the Dead who die in the Lord.

Side by Side,

By the tree with the bench.

The bench dedicated to George L. Doll.

A soldier

Born November 9 1896

Died June 14 1957.

Saved by a girl with a camera.

She feels most at home here,

Alone amongst the dead.

Safest in the silent winter snow.

Right before spring crawls in.

When everything is starting to melt.

The dampness clinging to her breath

Filling her slowly dying lungs with soggy air.

She loves to read here.

On the bench by William Corles

and Rachel A.

Under the pine tree.

Because unlike his housemates,

He doesn't die in the winter.

There's no need to mark his place with a tombstone.

She reads here.

Parts of her die here.

Here, she's somewhere in between.

But she'll go home tonight and return tomorrow.

Someday she'll no longer be a guest.

Until then she loves her gravestones.

Her bookmarks left behind.

Gravestones.

For the living.

For the dead.                                                                                    

And for those somewhere in between.