Who has trod this grass before, wet it with their tears,
Who has planted all these stones, as their own time nears?
Reminded by the names and dates of those who went before,
That all of us must face the day when we will be no more.
My mind rebels at thoughts like this, a world devoid of me,
And yet I know it lies ahead, a final destiny.
The chiseled numbers fill my eyes, their hollow lines foretell
The passing of my earthly time, with fears I can’t dispel.
The somber air that hovers here is stifling and unkind,
Its ancient echo’s disappear, swallowed by my mind.
Humbled by the weathered stones, I clutch my knees to chest,
Awed by all that’s gone before, I know that I’ve been blessed.
The stones cry out in silent hue that’s heard, but not with ears.
They somehow soothe my inner self, speaking to my fears
Of things they know are hidden there, the questions and the doubts,
Awakened from their slumbering, by hushed and muted shouts.
Sitting here surrounded by reminders of the past
That tell me with their muffled cries that fragile life can’t last.
Some stand tall while others lean, a few lie on the ground,
Mimicking our futile world, if we just look around.
Dusk draws nigh, it’s time to go, so I slip away,
Thankful for the chance I have to live another day.
Wind scarred stones behind me now, a smile slips ‘cross my face
As nighttime comes I’m heading home, glad to leave this place.
Author notes
Took the picture of the cemetary last year and was just fooling with it over the weekend and decided to write something.
Nothing does more to convince me of the beauty of life than to confront death. The stone memorials, left as a tribute to life just tells me that life lives on, even after death.
Written April 24th, 2005
In a list
A contest entry
- not important by Lucian Valcor.
875 points, ended September 23, 2005, 39 entries
Silver trophy winner
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest - RHYME TIME by piccola.
450 points, ended March 20, 2007, 26 entries
• next poem in this contest, remove from contest
What did you think
Comments
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Great poem daddy, It's true in so many ways. No one knows when exactly they are going to die, many of us have had close calls. Even after people die they still live on in other peoples hearts. Death isn't something to fear but something to look forward to. Again, great write daddy.
Kayla Marie
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Such true thoughts spoken within your poem. The thought we push to the back of our mind, is there and arises at times. Stark image you took, and your poem parallel the thoughts shown. Well done my dear.
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an exelent write, we none of us, no matter what our age or how healthy, know how long we have to spend on this earth and so we must treasure each moment
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Sometimes it takes looking death in the face to realize the value of life, I have had that experience many more times then I would like to admit and this poem is a reminder of that, a very well written reminder I might add. Well done poet!
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what an amazing write , congratulations on the awards it has received
Truly there is a lot to learn about reflecting and giving thanks for what we have,
also you are right sometimes they give the story of life, Here in Mass we have a cemetery that has large sculptors one of a man's fave chair, a giant lion for one's love of animals and so on,
I enjoyed this deep pondering write and I thank you for sharing it.
Warm thoughts
Frozentearz
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This is a truly poignant look at the sanctity of life and the finality of death. If we are to honestly be humbled by the precious gift of life, we should never take for granted one single moment we are given. Our legacy will be devoid of meaning if we don't make use of every opportunity we have in our lives. One gift you have been given in your life is the talent for the written poetic word. Thank you for sharing your gift! Excellent work!
~Lori
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"Dusk draws nigh, it’s time to go, so I slip away,
Thankful for the chance I have to live another day."
death seems to be the reminder to us that we have life and every added day is a gift. rhymed well and thanks for the entry. -
A lovely poem - great rhythm and rhyme and thoughts expressed in these lines. Can see why it received this award - as we age our thoughts tend to change and we appreciate life more. Well written, the words in this poem.
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excellent
I'm pretty sure I've read this before, although it still holds much of the truth as it did then. It's hard to imagine life without yourself in it. Strange how time does slip away and we have to face that in the end...or beginning
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A truly amazing poem with such thought provoking wording. I have often had these thoughts that you have penned so brilliantly. I just love the rhyme. It flows so beautifully and is a joy to read.
Gaylene
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im gonna go with what all of the others said on this one. this is absolutely amazing. i really must look into more of your work. im so used to forced rhyme and such in my contests. this was brilliant.
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WOW! This was absolutely stellar! Love the picture, your words seem to speak right out of it. Just a beautiful write, I have no more words. Thank you so much for sharing this.
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wow... stunning... haunting... breath-taking... goodness... this actually gave me chills while I was reading...
Death hasn't touched me really... although I have seen MANY dead... or held their hand while they slipped into another life... it's never been someone close to me... there are a few times where it's bothered me to see someone die... but I guess you get used to it... I often wonder how I would react if it were someone I loved... I am thankful that I've not had to go through this... but I know there is coming a day when it will be personal... scary.
This is simply an awesome poem ... draws me deep into thought... makes me realize that I need to enjoy life and live each as it was my last... and I just have never been able to do that!
God bless you! ~Melissa -
Beautiful imagery...I particularly liked the line "The stones cry out in silent hue that’s heard, but not with ears."WOW, this is brilliantly done!! You got a serious fan now!
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The first verse stopped me cold and the rest was equally powerful.
Who has trod this grass before, wet it with their tears,
Who has planted all these stones, as their own time nears?
Reminded by the names and dates, of those who went before,
That all of us must face the day when we will be no more.
That's what I call a perfect stanza. I used to be somewhat obsessed with cemeteries, perhaps for the opportunity for the kind of meditation and reflection that this poem demonstrates. They seem to beg important questions like what have we done with our lives and, more importantly, what will we do with the years that we have left. Thanks for pointing me toward this one. It was what I needed right now. (Long story.)
Excellent photograph, too. Thanks again.
Mark -
this was very good I love it, a nice flow and a nice rhym through the whole poem, great work kirby
dont forget to put in a second enttery and good luck in the contest.
mortikie -
i love cemetaries... this one is particularly old by the looks of the weathered stones... possibly the graves of the forgotten... you captured the essence of the cemetary beautifully ... i enjoyed this poem.. congratulations on your well deserved win --michele--
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Great
I am glad to read your work the flow is great and does not take from the thought but adds to it as poetry should do.
Edited on Jul 13, 9:05 because 'spelling'. -
DAMN! That's about all I could say when I finished reading this exquisite example of near-perfect poetry. The rhymes were excellent and, far from taking away from the piece, contributed greatly, completely unforced and allowing the poem's overall flow to remain intact. I loved the message this sends, and I must agree with it. Though death can sometimes prove a devastating force to deal with, in the end, it's nothing compared to what life is able to accomplish. Even after death, we continue to live on, in one way or another. Fantastic write; thanks for entering, and good luck.
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Oh wow, Paul this was an outstanding pen! The flow of meter and rhyme was so well done, it could easily be sung as a memorial ballad. and definately recited to background music. Congratulations on your win, though had it been me, this would have been gold. And an excellent job on the photography, the back and white really added the flair of stillness captured.
All the best
and blessings, Sandi
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wowza
WOW i am in awe.... this poem is just.....perfect in every way. capitvating, fascinating, beautiful. rock on. -
i love it.
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I love your choice of wording! It is far from boring...the flow...there is no word t odescribe it...basically it was AWESOME..perfect...well done
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Simply phenomenal, well done!!
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wow...truly beautiful...i wrote a poem on the fragility of human life, but it's not near as well formed as this....it's flow is perfect, amazing....good luck in the contest
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Perfect!
The photo reminds me of several family cemeteries I have visited. The poem is just perfect. I liked the thoughts behind it, as well as the form. -
I really enjoyed reading this poem. -Weird as that might sound. I love cemetaries, reading the tombstones, trying to see what kind of life/death that person had. Your poem is so reflective of life and death. I liked the last stanza - it is hopeful.
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Wow. Your talent is evident and impressive in this piece. Including the photograph. The black and white not only helps the nostalgia aspect of the piece, but is metaphorical for the words that follow.....black/white - life/death. Really well done.
~ ~ Sincerely, Janet ~ ~
Edited on Apr 30, 12:55 because ''. -
wow. that is beautiful. the picture is perfect, though the poem could stand alone and still be amazing.
great write...i'm adding you to my favorites. -
This was really good. I liked the flow and how the rhyming was very subtle and nice. I liked how your imagery flowed smoothly. I think that the concept is interesting, and it makes you think. Thank you for entering my contest!
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very good job writting this.its interesting and makes you think,very creative.you have alot of very noticable talent.keep writting no matter what.good luck in the future with everything that happens to you and with everything that you do.
-someone outthere -
aWESOME POEM! i LOVED READING IT MOST DEFINATELY! gREAT WRITE.
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This speak so much about life and puts a great picture in my mind of a semetary and all the thoughts that could be going through one's mind. this is very good!
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It's great
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That was simply wonderful!! I've got goosebumps. You are an amazing poet. A++++++++++++
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Absolutely fascinating pondering of time spent amongst those who have gone before us. You have drawn the reader into this sacred space along with you and have shown us the overwhelming range of emotion that you felt as you meandered through....
Trailing fingers on weathered stone, tracing names and dates, wondering about lives lived before lost and who might be missing these mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and sons and daughters.... Or could it be that one has passed with no one to mourn them... that is the ultimate sadness.
Thank you for sharing this thought provoking write and photograph.
God Bless,
~Diane~ -
GREAT
I really really really liked this poem...Such a deep meaning, and so beautifully written. I don't think that I have ever read anything about 'death' written so well. Very sad in many ways yet so amazing to look at through the eyes of this poem. I truly enjoyed the read. Thank you for sharing, I look forward to reading more of your work...(this should be in a contest!) -
There are no words to this...
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I loved it
Wow, I loved this from the opening line to the last. Each stanza kept me more and more interested, and I LOVED the last two lines. What a courageous thing to write about- confronting death. I was just totally blown away by this, keep those great ones coming. -
one word awesome write perfect picture to accompany it!!!!
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This is wonderful! The first line always keeps me reading and that hooked me and drug me through the whole thing!!! Great JOB!!!
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Great stuff!! i could easily see this in a book fo poems. i was so involved in this poem i lost myself. wow. this is the most powerful poem i have read today. i will read more of your work because of this. I will definetly suggest this poems to my friends. im sure the will enjoy it as much as i do.
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The somber air that hovers here is stifling and unkind,
It’s ancient echo’s disappear, swallowed by my mind.
Humbled by the weathered stones, I clutch my knees to chest,
Awed by all that’s gone before, I know that I’ve been blessed.
Awsome!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cant begein to explain how much i lov ethis poem!! you have done a fantastic job and you should keep it up!, such talent is not be wasted!!! -
Wow..This poem is beautiful. *wants your talent!*
I love the picture you have in your head of how a semetary is like...Yu are truely gifted
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The poem is wonderful and the photograph simply adds to its beauty. I love old graveyards for what they can tell us of the history of those who have gone on before. Excellent meter and rhyme, lovely presentation. Best wishes
Ruth -
Not to bad overall,a good piece here..Well written and the images given were very good as well...Good write.
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Great use of a unique and contemplative style. The title is just marvellous and just allows my mind to wonder everywhere and anywhere with you. The image is just a 'set in stone' one and reflects the mood of your piece well. Well done! Tony.
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excellent
thanks dear friend. this is lovely. i am touched. how come u write such great things. u have a gift. -
O h m y G O D! Truly one of the most amazing poems I have ever read. I want someone to read this at my funeral.....I truly love it. Amazing. This deserves my applaud... thank you for sharing.
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Truly stunning write you have. the perspective on this was well balanced and the picture you have accompanying this matches very well with the emotions you've wrote down
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Ah, this metered and rhyming poem is a clear visible talent. The words perfect and natural, flow easy, strong, and deep like water from a well spring. I look forward to reading more of your art. Diane
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things are not as they appear
I really, really love it!!!!!! Excellent in everyway. Awesome.... Very good. Great writing. You took my words away from me when I was reading it, very gastly. I love it! May I have a copy? Thanks. Keep it up.
For life to see me as I am
They would all have to be as I am
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good
This poem is excelent, very very excelent. I love the rhyming, i love the flow, the style, everything. The name grabbs the attention of the reader right off, and is complimented by a spooky picture of graves stones. The grave stones are complimented by the style of the poem, and the coloring of the words. The poem istelf is then viewed, and even though its slightly long it forces the reader to remain intrested. This poem is excelent in all its forms, keep up the good work,
Bowie of the knife and spear,
Rose of teh thorns,
Morner of the lost. -
Very well-written, I agree with your comments...stunning, amazing, .....You get the picture! I really enjoyed it.
Love and Blessings, Ashlee
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stunning write--meter and rhyme drive the message into the mind and give the reader pause--excellent!
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"Sitting here surrounded by reminders of the past, That tell me with their muffled cries that fragile life can’t last." I like this line the best because it reminds me of the many times that I have visited family cemeteries with similar thoughts. I often look at all the stones and wonder about the people buried there, what their lives were like. I think that accepting the fact that our days are numbered, should give us each an appreciation for the time we have here. This poem is very well-written and rhymed! Thanks for sharing!
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What a wonderful poem.. the images and emotions it evoked
really made me think about life.. and death. -
wow beautiful flow and wonderful job with the rhyming i love rhymed poetry. Good job keeping the rhyme scheme without breaking the flow or the rythem.
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I'm always impressed with rhyme schemes like this, and this kind of form. You picked such eloquent words and the rhymes flowed beautifully.
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this was a very amazing write, i enjoyed reading this peice very much, i hope to read more of your work in the very near future, also i would like to wish you luck on any up and coming writes that you may have in the future, please have a very wonderful day,,cya later
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A satire of death
This poem had a dark and brooding sense of Poe like mood,
its verses read smooth an ghostly;at the end there is a
touch of satire and seem a smile , as a prank from a living spirit .
Nice job , enjoyed the read. -
Very well written piece here..This had such a good flow and feel here to it..You wrote this one very damn well..Good job.
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this was an absoulty beautiful wright you put your words well in this poem and it was very well written u did a great job well done.
EE -
Wicked
Good job. I usually don't like the rhyming ones(although I write them all the time..LOL). But this was great! I love poems like this. In a way...it's creepy and an awakening. Do you think so? Oh..well. This was great! -
Whoa, that was awesome!
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this is very good, the rhythm is so well done and the subject is treated well.
everyone has this notion that people who think about death are morbid, but it all depends on what you are thinking lol.
it is good to be realistic and realize it will come.
makes you realize what's important.
well done.
~Lea -
All I can say is absolutely perfect. You did an awesome job, beginning to end. I can't wait to see more from you. You definitely have my applause!
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Brillant
I was so impressed by this poem, unlike a lot of people I love rhyming poetry, i do a lot of it myself and when it flows and is as good as your piece is how can it not be liked. The imagedry in this poem is fantastic I can actually picture myself looking at what you see,
Some stand tall while others lean, a few lie on the ground,
Mimicking our futile world, if we just look around.
These are the lines that stand out in my mind. Brilliant, Brilliant, Brilliant!!!!
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off the hook
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"Who has trod this grass before, wet it with their tears,
Who has planted all these stones, as their own time nears?
Reminded by the names and dates, of those who went before,
That all of us must face the day when we will be no more."
OMFG I LOVE THIS POEM EVERY LINE, EVERY SECTION, every WORD compiles thoughts in my head, good showing of imagery,it has a great flow to it... i love love love love love loveeeeeeeeeeee this poem!!!!!!!!
Good write and keep up the work
<3 Daisy -
very good
An evocative portrait of our fragile tenure here. Good use of rhyme and tempo. I like how the more somber reflections of mortality are tempered by the ending. I do think you meant "nigh" not "neigh" and it seems that "echo's" should be just "echoes"? -
'Who has trod this grass before, wet it with their tears,
Who has planted all these stones, as their own time nears?'
'Humbled by the weathered stones,'
'Some stand tall while others lean, a few lie on the ground,
Mimicking our futile world, if we just look around.'
These were the lines that made me go 'wow'. A good strong read too, makes you really think, and I like to see that in a peice. Its a fitting poem for your picture, it would seem you are multitalented. Black and white suits the mood well, and although I can appreciate that it isn't a peice to depress the reader, it is somewhat melancholy and sobering. I like it very much, and I think you have a lot of potential. Well done, and do keep it up. Cheers
Avian -
Your cheering section has covered almost everything. You have a typo here:
Dusk draws n(e)igh, it’s time to go, so I slip away
The extra "e" is in parentheses so you can spot it easily.
This is a very good piece of writing. I expect we all think of that sooner or later, and I've written several poems on the subject myself.
Good job. -
This was a well written poem. The rhyming scheme was well done also. Great job.
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I am not generally a fan of rhyming poetry on internet sites. They tend to be forced and bad. Your poem here shows how it can be an artform. You have created a beautiful piece where the rhyme is an accent instead of an ambush.
The only suggestion i would make is to take the quotations off of "me". It cheapens the piece. It sorta says to the reader, i know you won't get this so i am going to hand it to you. We get it. The piece is too good not to get.
Mary -
beautiful imagery. i liked the whole picture this poem painted. great job! i implore you to write more. this is simply wonderful.
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One more thing...i wanted to say that everything is calming down now i think with the whole reason i got off of AP but i am still preatty firm on the belief that i should ramain to not enter any more poems online! well thanks for everything!
God Bless
Elizabeth -
Amazing...i really like this and how it is portrayed! great write and keep it up! "Just fooling around with it", huh? well it's really good and i like the thought! Thanks for writing it...love to read your new writes!
God Bless...
Elizabeth -
Not my kind of poem.
Nice thought. I was so aware of the iambic metre that took over the poem I had to read it three times to get any appreciation of it. I don't like the iambic metre and the rhymed verse. Too much Evangeline, Hiawatha as a kid in grammar school. -
This is beautiful, Paul, with such a sad tone though. I liked the Biblical allusion about the stones crying out. Smooth flow all the way through.
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Definitely a good write! I feel the sadness, the struggle about death and what you are thinking in this one. Absolutely beautiful. good job
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This was such a sad but beautiful write. This was filled with lots of emotions. And I loved how you used your words...This is one of my favorites and I will be bookmarking it. Keep up the great writes.~Stacey~
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this is a beautiful poem. you show an amazing passion and insight... i really like this i would applaud it if i had any left..
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This is a very good write. It shows great passion and wonderful emotion! I loved the lines, "Wind scarred stones behind me now, a smile slips ‘cross my face. As nighttime comes I’m heading home, glad to leave this place." It is absolutely amazing how you expressed your feelings. Great word choice also. Great job and keep writing!!
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Outstanding Write
a beautiful song to sing. We all need to learn the tune to this one I think. it's later then we all would like to think and your poem makes one do just that...think.. -
This is an extremely somber, but well written poem. I am in awe. I felt like I was write there. I could feel the air and the vibs and everything. Excellent imagry- and that was all without looking at the picture until the end.
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This had such a smooth flow to it. I didn't think a poem about gravestones could be comforting but that's the only word to describe it. I'm comforted after reading your poem that there's a place for me beyond death and that I won't be alone there. Excellent job.
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You said it well we all fight against the idea of death, a very nice poem with good flow and good feel, you painted a very good picture with your words, it was a pleasure to read, well done, all the best
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u outdone urself...take a bow BRAVO
very well done and i think the structure alone is pure marvelous and the picture is not only breathtakingly wonderful that there arent enough words of praise to give to you for such a write like this and also there was not ONE stanza that i couldve picked out to say that if captured me up and wrapped me tightly. the flow was consistant and constant never faltered not one bit -
This is indeed wonderfully wrought...and in my current state of mind I find it quite compelling...The feelings you have evoked from me, are most likely a side effect...an occurence unlooked for....but the desolate tone I recieved, it matches my mood perfectly...I may give up yet...but you, your poem is brilliant...keep up the artiface that poetry lends us all...good write!
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what a poetry dear.Its so cooooool.I loved every line, every stanza.keep it up!
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I really really really liked this, in more ways than one. The poem was easy to read, it's got a very seamless pleasant flow and I loved the vocabulary you used, and the scene you've created. The emotions portrayed by this are both powerful and clear. This is an aweome write, very well done.
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Excellent
This is excellent. I love how you described the air as somber. Many writers relay the visual, but describing the feel of the air is not as common and most deserving in this piece. Who hasn't wandered through a cemetary and wondered about the names on those stones and then felt the secret relief that he is getting to return home. Well done and perfectly capured. -
excellent
This is a beautiful poem and it has quite a truth. Funny because those are the exact thoughts I have when entering a cemetery. You really captured this idea. Great write. -
Very well written summery of how fragile our mortality truely is. Picture speaks equally in time with your write.Great job.~~Suseann
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this is a beautiful piece! i love the soft, swaying rhythm. your rhyme is lovely (i envy you the ability). in S3, it's - it is? or its? and is echo meant to be possessive? or plural? you create such beautiful images in this poem...i have trouble with cemeteries - they never strike me as beautiful; but you make me wonder what beauty i cannot see. you change the rhythm in your last two stanzas - it jolted me, this sudden change. i'm not sure if that is what you intended.
beautiful write, kirbysman.
illusions -
This is really good. I love the usage of words and the passion behnd the writer. Very good.
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wow that was very touching and very well written great job u a great person.
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great
I love the flow of this poem. This was very good. I like the descriptive nature of it as well. It is so true, that we are only mortal. Myself, I don't like cemeteries, the fears emerge.
Oh, by the way, is the magazine no more?
Icequeen
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