My soul <br />disguised as a shadow <br /> <br />drifted back <br />into my past <br /> <br />managed unseen <br />to cross the border <br /> <br />of Life <br />(& Death) <br /> <br />enter again <br />that room <br /> <br />where the memory <br />begins <br /> <br />(when the memory wasn’t even a memory) <br />but the real thing <br /> <br />my soul steals a crumb <br />of her laughter <br />nothing that could be <br />missed <br /> <br />the merest sliver. <br /> <br />I (then) <br />shiver <br /> <br />seeing my soul <br />stealing my sister’s <br />laughter <br /> <br />but not recognising it <br />seeing only <br /> <br />a shadow of a shadow. <br /> <br /> <br />Throwing off its shadowy <br />clothes <br /> <br />my soul <br />returns <br /> <br />smelling remotely of <br />a Past <br /> <br />the stale smell <br />of Death. <br /> <br />“Did you get it...did you get it! ” <br />I demand. <br /> <br /> <br />“Yes...yes...but don’t <br />ask me again! ” <br /> <br /> <br />“If God ever finds out...” <br /> <br /> <br />But I don’t hear <br />I am beyond <br /> <br />my soul’s <br />reproach <br /> <br />following the steps <br />of my tears <br /> <br />leading me to <br /> <br />the treasure <br />of her <br /> <br />laughter. <br /> <br />******* <br /> <br />Long for you to turn <br />& then...smile at me again. <br />But – the photo won’t <br />listen to me...'Listen to me! ' <br />Deaf to everything but – Death. <br /> <br />******** <br /> <br />Your grave buried now <br />beneath such snow & prayers. <br />Both angel & I <br />gazing at nothing...sky... <br />you so alive...in my head. <br /> <br />******* <br /> <br />So cold...my shadow <br />frozen to the ground...fract...ures <br />as I move away <br />I leave it behind and grow <br />another to take with me. <br /> <br />*******<br /><br />Dónall Dempsey<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/stolen-laughter-for-junie/
