April's Sorrow

Grandma Marilyn Ward, April 1927-April 2018

When cherry blossoms fluttered,

Falling gently down,

Unloosing hold on living limb

To spin, and spin, and spin

Then she fell too,

Though sky outside was blue

And robins came to feed

On Grandma’s offered seed.

A day we would’ve tried to breathe

Fresh air and feel the sun

Despite the breeze.

We may have even pulled some weeds

Before the evening chill drove us away,

Inside, like you are now at half past noon.

And when I turned my back

your breathing slowed—too soon! too soon!

The month that saw your birth in early days

Now, nearing May, receives your body,

Falling, buried in the womb of earth-to-earth

To lie.

We die

Until green growth goes forth,

Called up by Sun’s strong, sudden force,

alive.

by Rebekah Pringle Yamada

© April 30, 2018