[I would drive to your grave]
I would drive to your grave but your grave is the crash
the froth foam pebbles small rocks the sand smoothed
soothed each rising each leaving tide you lie in the ocean
the water in the waves your home the stern the back
the wake of a boat those curled white lines of leaving
I would visit your grave but your grave is a single blue
afternoon of passing isles the green and granite shores
I would come to your grave but your grave is the fire
oh mother it is cold tonight and I have no heart
for this burning for the fine sift of ash which is all
that comes back all that comes after I would visit
your house but your things are missing are missing
your touch as your eyes failed I brought you lights
and I would see again that brightness I would drive
to your grave but I am your grave your marker
oh mother I am your stone
Copyright Credit: Leslie Harrison, "[I would drive to your grave]" from The Book of Endings. Copyright © 2017 by Leslie Harrison. Reprinted by permission of University of Akron Press.
Source: The Book of Endings (University of Akron Press, 2017)