I buttoned my coat to the cold
As the man of God spoke his words
Words lost to the wind whipping in
Words lost to the incoming rain
As the casket was gracefully lowered
And hers came to rest upon his
Her extensive family as one
Drew earth from the hands of the bearers
Pale roses were equally grasped
And both were cast in her wake
And the sea of black-clad souls
Stood silent in grief and in loss
At that moment I turned around
To face her final expansive vista
To the grand grey body of water
Stirred by the chilling of winter
The hills in the distance bowed heads
And the winter-stripped trees slowly swayed
Briefly woken from slumber enforced
To dance now for her, he and theirs
And for a moment I sat in the room
Open fire, stoked, taking centre stage
With he and her in their places
Both beaming while regaling tales
I braced from the present a while
And for a spell I slipped to the past
And as the cold broke the seal of my coat
I smiled at the thought of such warmth
20th March 2022