Notes About The Poem


This is Poem 7 from Voices From Mt. Olive Cemetery, a work in progress. 

Anne Simpson Scott 1895-1932

Anne Simpson Scott

1895- 1932

Friends, my friends,

I do remember.

On the night before leaving to France in 1917

George held my hand.

He held it firmly in his perspiring palm,

Held it and would not relinquish

His gallant grasp. I recall too,

He, taking his left loving index finger

And smoothly, affectionately, precisely,

Stroking my left accepting index finger

Like a soothing balm, like a healing descending brook

As it lapps and caresses the shivering earth

In the silent tranquil evenings of renewed Spring.

Friends, my friends

I do remember.

On our wedding day in 1921

George held my hand.

He held it firmly in his perspiring palm,

Held it and would not let go.

Not even for five fateful forgotten minutes.

Friends, dear friends,

I do remember.

On the morning I died in 1932

George held my hand.

He held it gently, reassuringly, resignedly

In his trembling perspiring palm, 

Held it quietly, bravely, sadly

And would not let go.

And now friends, we are together again

Here in this deep sleeping earth

This dreaming drowsy earth

Here in Mt. Olive Cemetery

He on top of me

Our skeletal long fingered hands

Enjoined, enmeshed and entwined

Forever in the dust

Forever in the dark blooms of death.

Oh friends, my friends

I do remember.
Copyright © | Year Posted 2016

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