Wednesday, January 11, 2017

"Arlington Cemetery" by Terri Lynn Cummings, Our Newest Frequent Contributor & Poet of the Week

Arlington Cemetery
Terri Lynn Cummings
  
Grass lifts his ear to clip and clop
Words swing on soothing notes
wrapped around a field of wounds

Throats, filled with dust
crack under fight for control
Taps takes its place in last

stand around mortal offering
blessed and placed like Roman
coin on earth’s patient tongue

Flowers unfurl colors
dip their heads in salute
Earth accepts the iron surrender

Breath picks up prayer
spreads it like map for the passage
White gloves turn flag into honor

Headstone salutes
stands at attention
in long row of perpetual soldiers

Poets Notes:  My husband and I visited Arlington Cemetery in Washington D.C. several years ago. We happened to witness a beautiful and moving funeral which has stayed with me. This poem sprang from that memory.

Editor’s Note:  I have never been to Arlington but have had the honor of being part of my father's burial ceremony at Saratoga National Cemetery.  Terri has certainly captured many of the feelings and images of such a funeral and of the rows and rows of honored dead.  

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