Pine Mountain Cemetery XXVIII
                          Jeff

Been awhile since they carried another one
Up this hill. Cemetery closer to town is easier,
That is if a burying could ever be that.

That one there hurt the whole damn town.
His father dug our wells, such a good man
Bringing sweet water and leaving the sulphur.

His heart is so broke, we fear he’ll never put a
Hand back on that old rickety rig, water or no.
Mother tho lets the Indian blood hold her steady.

Picnic at the mountain lake, campfire, got hot.
He walked to water’s edge to cool off, tempted
First a foot and then a dive into the so deep black.

Young, strong, not drunk, happy and in love, he
Just did not come back up, who knows why? Life
Takes a swipe, blasts away at what looks normal.

A part of his girl grieves today and it’s been years,
Time enough to let it go, but she can’t and won’t.
Loving first is like that. Her kids wouldn’t understand.

He loved life, the fireworks of all those promises ahead.
Laying down our old tears a piece of us, too, but not
The young, the laughter, the hope, how can that be dead?

The answers are not whispered on this lonely hill.
Gran would say you gotta strap it on and take a step
No matter how deep the hurt and long the chill.

That lake has got some ‘splaining to do to take a
Boy who found such joy while digging down deep
To find another vein of water with his dad .