gravestone

for the all the graves marked unknown

I walked past your gravestone,

With no name engraved,

Wondered why it bore no name,

But I had to be on my way.

When I bought my beloved flowers,

I didn’t leave them by your stone,

On Christmas, I met my family,

Do you still miss your own?

Were you a teacher, or a preacher,

Questions echoed in my thoughts,

When each day I rushed to work,

By the pavement, I would pause.

The dirt near the grave was fresh,

Beside it, no grass grew,

So I chose to imagine it meant,

That to the graveyard, you were new.

Were you a young boy of twelve?

A skater who failed a stunt,

Or a scholar from the college,

Grading tests, with pencils blunt?

Was your lover with you when you crashed,

Is there no one to say your name,

Did your children drown with you,

Since you receive no bouquets?

Should I bring you white roses,

Call you a name that you don’t own,

Tell you stories about my life,

While your form rots alone?

The yard’s ghosts have names and titles,

Sister, husband, daughter, friend,

So, I’ll write your name on the ocean’s sand,

And pen poems till my notebook ends.

Written by: Aditi