dust to dust
They waved to me
Back and forth
they moved so gently
so subtly you almost missed it if you weren’t paying your attention, your respects
They didn’t demand it. Quite the contrary. They seemed to just be. Be there. Be.
They became your view, if you realized that was their purpose
Their entire being to be with us
The became subtle cracks in the blank, soft blue canvas, an emptiness somehow filled
One moved so joyfully. Jubilantly. Excitedly. Ecstatically. The ones next to him moved away
to their luck, not quickly enough
The silence would briefly pierce the low humming in the back
only imitating the ocean, but leaving its being in the waters
bringing other noises with it
rustling leaves, falling acorns, wind chimes in the distance
Only heard if looked for
never to show itself to the unsuspecting
We treated them as foreigners
when we ourselves were the foreign ones
They were naked, left behind, utterly alone
both by us and by their companions
the ones that had grown on them, with them, through them
but not for them
It was our job to keep them company — to rest on them
Instead we found ourselves running
running from the sounds because they sent a chill through us
Rubbing our hands for warmth wasn’t enough
but we stayed out to hear the birds chirp
the wind nestled our cheeks as the air enfolded us in all its majestic and soft glory
And to think…
this was all from dust
and to dust it shall once more return…