Find Nourishment in Death²
To the Seasonal Eternity of Death –
We sough off the Rumor of Mortality³
Each for their Coffin makes a Cocoon⁴
They are Fighting Fighting Fighting that
Where there was Death there may be Life⁵
One Short Sleep Past – we Wake Eternally⁶
Our Ghost Re-Gifts Flesh & Blood – our
Flesh & Blood – Re-Gift our Children⁷
My Life is now a Death to me, so I’ll
Mold it and I’ll hold it ‘til I’m Born⁸
Suture us back Together – to make
Something more Vaguely Eternal⁹
Free on Both Sides of the Grave¹⁰
¹ Jidi Majia tr. Denis Mair, The Other Way
² Robert Bly, A Home in Dark Grass
³ Allen Tate, Ode to the Confederate Dead
⁴ Joseph Jefferson, Immortality
⁵ Marianne Moore, In Distrust of Merits
⁶ John Donne, Death
⁷ Danez Smith, Dear White America
⁸ Larry & Maggie Lee, My Life
⁹ Erika Meitner, Eternal Return II
¹⁰ Terrance Hayes, Mule Hour