POETRY 2024: An old man stands at the cemetery by Scott Harrison
04/17/24 • 3 min
An old man stands at the cemetery
by Scott Harrison
An old man stands in the cemetery with his handful of forget-me-nots.
An only son, he is here in this field with all his brothers.
He keeps company with his old friend who is always much younger than him.
He feels tired, weary, but stands up straight and smiles for his pal.
There is a busy street of stores to the north.
A few kids play on the basketball court in the twilight to the east.
Mothers push baby carriages just south of the hundreds of white stones.
And west is where the red sun slowly drops as everyone knew it would.
The old man hears nothing as if a large glass dome has descended on this place.
Soon he is aware of the sound of his own heart as it beats out its eternal rhythm.
He knows this is the only conversation they can have.
It is a good one, rich with the subtleties of their long relationship.
As he bends down to place his flowers next to his friend’s stone,
A bird sings them both a sweet little song, and looks down from her branch.
It takes him a minute to lift himself back up, and in that slowed-down time,
His friend, in just a few heart beats, says good-bye and be well.
Some folks are looking for bargains at the bed stores on this Memorial Day.
Others are celebrating on this first day of a long-earned summer.
One old man is standing alone among his brothers, not forgetting.
To the east, a kid on the court has stopped playing and watches the still man.
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An old man stands at the cemetery
by Scott Harrison
An old man stands in the cemetery with his handful of forget-me-nots.
An only son, he is here in this field with all his brothers.
He keeps company with his old friend who is always much younger than him.
He feels tired, weary, but stands up straight and smiles for his pal.
There is a busy street of stores to the north.
A few kids play on the basketball court in the twilight to the east.
Mothers push baby carriages just south of the hundreds of white stones.
And west is where the red sun slowly drops as everyone knew it would.
The old man hears nothing as if a large glass dome has descended on this place.
Soon he is aware of the sound of his own heart as it beats out its eternal rhythm.
He knows this is the only conversation they can have.
It is a good one, rich with the subtleties of their long relationship.
As he bends down to place his flowers next to his friend’s stone,
A bird sings them both a sweet little song, and looks down from her branch.
It takes him a minute to lift himself back up, and in that slowed-down time,
His friend, in just a few heart beats, says good-bye and be well.
Some folks are looking for bargains at the bed stores on this Memorial Day.
Others are celebrating on this first day of a long-earned summer.
One old man is standing alone among his brothers, not forgetting.
To the east, a kid on the court has stopped playing and watches the still man.
Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below!
If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact our editor at [email protected] and/or our podcast host at [email protected]!
Head to our website for all of the latest news from peak to peak!
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE and use the coupon code PODCAST for A 10% DISCOUNT for ALL NEW SUBSCRIBERS!
Submit local events to promote them in the paper and on our website!
Find us on Facebook @mtnear and Instagram @mtn.ear!
Listen and watch on YouTube today!
Share this podcast around by scrolling to the bottom of our website home page or by heading to our main hub on Buzzsprout!
Thank you for listening!
Previous Episode
Music of the Mountains Where to be and what to see: Andy Eppler
As a kid, Andy Eppler’s mother sang for their church, and music was always present in his house. He knew early on that he wouldn’t have a “normal” career trajectory like the other kids in school, so he chose to spend his life in the arts.
Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below!
If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact our editor at [email protected] and/or our podcast host at [email protected]!
Head to our website for all of the latest news from peak to peak!
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Submit local events to promote them in the paper and on our website!
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Next Episode
Music of the Mountains Where to be and what to see: Jon Pickett with Chain Station and Aaron McCloskey and Brennan Mackey of Wood Belly
LISTEN: Guitarist Alex Thoele and upright bassist Jon Pickett met in the summer of 2006 in Estes Park, as they were both part of a campfire party walking up to the top of a mountain. They’ve been writing music and playing together ever since. In 2010, things would change when mandolin player Jarett Mason started playing with them. Banjo player and vocalist Chris “C-Bob” Elliot joined as well, in 2018, cementing the (mostly) current lineup of what is now called Chain Station.....
Thank you for listening to The Mountain-Ear Podcast, featuring news and culture from peak to peak! Additional pages are linked below!
If you want to be involved in the podcast or paper, contact our editor at [email protected] and/or our podcast host at [email protected]!
Head to our website for all of the latest news from peak to peak!
SUBSCRIBE ONLINE and use the coupon code PODCAST for A 10% DISCOUNT for ALL NEW SUBSCRIBERS!
Submit local events to promote them in the paper and on our website!
Find us on Facebook @mtnear and Instagram @mtn.ear!
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Share this podcast around by scrolling to the bottom of our website home page or by heading to our main hub on Buzzsprout!
Thank you for listening!
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