The Seasons an Unwelcome Guest

The Seasons an Unwelcome Guest

Those unflinching faces again doleful
Religiously return to me year after year
Only the lines distinguish the seasons
Fluttering fire flies through their tears

Fall finds them disheveled out of place
Clutching courageous flowers eyes red like the changing leaves
Stubborn sentinels lying withered unashamed
Until the faithful gardener like a priest comes to take them away

Winter is the most merciless as tiny ornaments replace
Whispering to them from the Christmas tree eternity
Each bearing an impression of a child's frozen face
Weathered stubborn packed in a box meticulously

In melting spring the children come to play
Jumping from the stones they see me and dance
Rubbing their fingers on my name as if only yesterday
They carry laughter no brave flowers in their little hands

Summer now and the shadows begin to cast a frown
Reminding me once again that I am not of this place
Mine was far away where no flowers littered the ground
Pinwheels spun and dreams in the air fire flies traced

I lie awake again counting the stars as they come
Older now unforgiving marks of passing time
Each one bearing regret but for a moment undone
Whispering my name knowing full well I am dead and not alive

Chad Taylor © 2011