Reliquary, for RDP, June 20, 2024

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daily life color241
Reliquary

On Sunday morning under orange bougainvillea,
your picture spills from an old album.
You were on a verandah under purple bougainvillea,
drinking the hot noon from your coffee cup
as I drank passion fruit and watched Lake Tana birth the Nile.

Later, kneeling by the river, I made my hand into a cup,
but you called out that slow death swam the blood
of those who touched the river,
while behind you on harsh branches,
black birds barked stark music.

Now, on Sunday morning under orange bougainvillea,
half a world and half a life away,
I restore you to your proper place, remembering how,
when they laid you down to dream beneath the purple bougainvillea,
it was passion fruit’s sweet poison that flavored my life.

 

This is a poem from my book If I Were Water and You Were Air, to be published soon,
For RDP: Relic

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About lifelessons

My blog, which started out to be about overcoming grief, quickly grew into a blog about celebrating life. I post daily: poems, photographs, essays or stories. I've lived in countries all around the globe but have finally come to rest in Mexico, where I've lived since 2001. My books may be found on Amazon in Kindle and print format, my art in local Ajijic galleries. Hope to see you at my blog.

8 thoughts on “Reliquary, for RDP, June 20, 2024”

  3. Unknown's avatarAnn Garcia

    important vivid words that transcend. Each chosen w care. Colorful. Passionate. So very sad. The words take on life. And the reader experiences the beauty of those two lives and the loss. You are a powerful poet. I am honored to know you. Ann

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    1. lifelessons's avatarlifelessons Post author

      Thanks, Ann. Wish I’d chosen to publish photos with the poems in my new book. Still waiting for the formatter to get it up on Amazon. I may have to do it myself. This poem is in the book of 50 years of love poems.

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