Parks near the graveyard
Sunny shouts and bright eyed, wide smiles
breaking out like flowers blooming in the spring.
Pink cheeks and wild blue-green eyed children
casting through shadows like ghosts.
Not noticing or possibly not knowing the ghastly fate staring them in the eyes, constantly.
Drawing them in silently,
where they will eventually rest for an eternity.
Not running from it or even running away,
supposedly ignorant to an invisible force.
If they ventured to the valley that separated the two places,
they wouldn't be able to possibly resist.
Jumping from one obnoxiously bright play ground bone to the next,
the sun was dim, clouds closely amid them.
Their sweaty bodies swimming in winter coats in the cool morning air,
skin quite fair and feet stomping noisily in muddy puddles,
brought by the rain from yesterday.
Across the way yellowing grass was on display,
curling and crumpling in every which way.
The rain didn't dare touch the dead,
sleeping peacefully underground in their beds.
The dirt, dry and sputtering,
like Mr. Walker’s last breath.
Meanwhile the children never ran out of air, they soared through the sky,
like the slimy green pears, which were kicked and jostled around by the kids, now muddy and mottled too much to even tell what it is.
Fruit trees surrounded them like parents tall and wide,
hovering kindly.
Luscious green field reaching towards the end of the sunset, rolling with hills
placed like stumps in a forest.
Evergreens protected the bones,
holding home to three carcasses of its own.
Twelve o'clock or so,
a girl with strawberry blond hair stopped the eternal rhythm,
she skipped and creeped through the small valley to the other side.
Behind her all the children did follow,
whispering songs too quiet for anyone to hear.
Each child not knowing any better, went right along without much banter.
Side by side they stood,
and blew a kiss to the ones they had lost and loved.
Inside they knew the truth,
yet went on playing,
pretending along.
Knowing someday it would be their time to sing their last and final song.