Circle of the Remembered

Fred

Tangerines in a blue glass bowl
flamed in the winter sunbeam
dividing the dust in the room
that day after the funeral.

She put a kettle of water to heat,
finding endurance in familiar tea.
She set out cups, and put away
her funeral gloves and black-veiled hat.

I murmured things to comfort her.
She understood my awkward words
the way I meant them. The sun went towards
the west.  She brought the tea.  The fire

left the tangerines and the sun.
The tangerines blended their smell
with the tea steam.  We traded small smiles,
drank tea, and shared our thoughts of him.

Next Poem:  "Kate Nein Remembers 1917"
List of Poem Circles
Updated last on:  2001/05/24