Knowing
And then she let go my hand
was it my hand
had she been holding me
clinging to my fingers tightly
then loosed them
her tiny grasp sweetly opening
to the world the wiles
the deftness the whole
Was it yesterday she sat on my knee
humming and counting in Japanese
ichi ni san chi go
her memory beginning in a vase
of flowers just picked
her rewards given from herself
as she listened and loved
There it is again
that feeling of loss
the vat that gapes its hollowness
at me in me knowing what has left
will never return to fill it
and if others aren’t assured
or oriented honored or divined
then the hole will remain waiting
Waiting for tree roots and dirt
caught in burlap heavy with life
longing to be born again
in the right place this time
the fairest field where everyone
knows the song
• • •
Gannon Daniels‘ poetry has been published in several journals and magazines, including Cimarron Review, RATTLE, Existere and Paragon Press.
Her book, The Occupying Water, is available at Amazon. She teaches adults and teens creative writing @paperpencil.net.