with the twee-twee-twee-
twee-twee-twee-twee
of chilled chickadees
Her body lost its breath
Her spirit left
The doctor said
she died
of death
The sea moved
mountainous and overhead
nimbus and stratus
danced
Black and white
weather the painter
said, taking
The photograph
of a bleak coast
A boy took
bark in his teeth
and tore strips
from the tree
his mouth
bloodied
with grief
the birds fled
still a nest
still a knot
of beach grass
fish twine and smooth
green glass
This is not the end
the Sister said,
her beads circling
in the embroidery
of her hands
By Reka Jellema
Copyright
February 28, 2015