dancing with grief

the dying are wallflowers

set to consider the final

steps of the dance from a distance.

it's all in the waiting.

approached by night

the dying are waning moons.

irretrievable.

may I have this dance,––

father,  mother,  sister,  brother?  listen.

the "Spaniels"

are singing: “Goodnight, Sweetheart. Goodnight"––

a slow one, and I’ve always liked

the slow ones.