all morning
into afternoon
the drums the horn
in the park
the older foreigner
welcomed in their midst
basks in sun
the breeze gentle
on his face
and watches youth
dance and dance
to spring
other writing
on Easter Sunday in Aliağa, 2018
light a candle
today tonight every night
a ritual I learned
from my grandmother
and my Aunt Mary
who told me
to always light a candle
for those who have gone before
for those still here
every time I visit a church
and so I do
today tonight every night
here in the church
of my making
for those gone before
for those still here
on this day
of resurrection
amen
the remnants
not fire nor ice
just ash and mist
these the remnants
of passion of love
in the making
your eyes hint
at a wisdom
not yet attained
but there
in the making
just the same
your voice echoing
no amount of whiskey
from the night before
can wash away
the sound of your voice
echoing
till morning
sleep
if it comes
it comes with immediacy
the eyes sag
the body caves in
on itself
and for a brief moment
there is relief
unfortunately
all too brief
before being blown away
by the wind
that howls outside
my conscious door
rewatching Stairway to Heaven before taking off on a flight of my own with second, even third, chances in mind
when mistakes are made
in heaven
love blooms
on earth
and even the dead
get a second chance
at life
blood of their blood
as I contemplate changes
here today
I hear
my grandfather say
as he lay dying
from Parkinson’s
Sweet Jesus
this is some penance
you gave me
and see
my father’s eyes
when no one else
was looking
the weariness
the sorrow
of the unforgiven
and here I am
far from the home
they tried making
older than either
ever were
and blood
of their blood
with penance
still left
to pay
life’s lessons
life teaches
that you can’t
do what you can’t
do only what you can
do as long as you can
do it
a dialogue never heard
there
in dreams
we speak
a dialogue
never heard
out loud
Leonard Durso 