BY VALENTYNA HOLLOWAY

Wind blows through my memories, turning

pages that slowly fade to black. Emotions

they haven’t invented words for choke

my throat and steal my breath. There are

no words for those left behind, no final

good-bye, no smile, no reassurances.

Just silence.

Silence and the wind waving through the verdant

grass, the flowers gently moving in condolence,

the trees lowering blossom laden branches towards

the ground where the remnants of their fallen

leaves lay as they offer understanding.

Life, moving in a slow circle, gently nudging

along unnoticed, aging without our consent.

Instead of walking beside me

you are in my heart now, the finality

of spoken words pressed like blooms

between the beats…and as the world walks by

as I watch the sun slowly set in the sky

I think of you walking in your garden

tending the flowers with the dogs and I know

you are out of pain and at peace.

We told Valentyna not to bother writing a poem this week when her father died. She insisted. Brave Valentyna’s father’s funeral is this afternoon. All associated with Country Squire Magazine send their heartfelt condolences and their very best to our beloved poetess at this sad and difficult time. RIP.