Cremations

By John McGrath

We watched our life go up in smoke today,
forty years of photographs or more.,
So long we’d wondered what we kept them for,,
decades gathering dust until the day,
our children come to pack our home away.,
Far better now to cast one backward glance,
at those who’ve shared our mad and merry dance,,
a laugh, a tear, a wry smile of dismay,,
before committing each into the flames.,
forgotten friends and half-remembered names,,
With nothing now but memories to own,
of all we’ve lost and all we’ve ever known,,
the fire consumes our youthful selves and we,
are free to reconstruct our history.

©December 2018 John McGrath
Previously appeared in author's recent collection,
After Closing (Moybella Press 2021).