by Billye Brown

Created on: December 28, 2009

Gathering of Souls

Were there a soundtrack to this gathering

it would be a dirge, a funereal drone

accompanying the slow, silent march of souls

gliding softly into the shadows

some alone, some in twos and threes

taking what comfort they could

by being of the not-alone

Not jittery hand and trembly heart

not gazing around the assemblage

desperate for a familiar face

someone, anyone, to form another

cluster of acquaintance

not to be stared at or whispered about

“Who is it? Why are they here?”

Not to be an outsider, a stranger

hearing the faint murmurs of conversations,

signifying nothing more that a wish

to keep the silence away.

But slowly

and slowly

and more slowly still

the shadowy aura dissipates

the air brightens

and eyes, flitting this way and that

begin to catch a glimpse

of faces not completely unknown;

the curve of a cheek, the quirk of a mouth

or a half-forgotten gesture

Years it’s been; ages and ages

and the air grows lighter and warmer still

and we, each of us know, we know

Who we are

Where we came from

And why we are here

One clan

One tribe

One family, from many

And we acknowledge the sadness and regret

in one breath

and in the next

we laugh and embrace and cry

And none of us, or almost none

see the others glimmering faintly there

just at the corner of the eye

just beyond the veil

But we can all feel them

and they silently encourage us

to remember the old tales again

and pass them on

to the new souls among us

And they are smiling and happy

for they live again in us

as we talk of their lives and ours,

connected through them

by them

to them

And we shore up those old bonds

that weaken but never break

We are one

one blood

one bone

one flesh

And as we say farewell here

those waiting others there say welcome

and to us they say

Remember,

Honor,

Love,

We are with you, and in you

Always.

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