111

It’s been so long since
we’ve been able to say
we expect you to 
outlive us all someday 

when I recognize 
the mischievous smile
in my child’s face 
I know you have

probably a falsehood
to say you won’t meet
have any of us not 
met the mystery?

in the next century 
we may find ourselves 
outliving what we
could not see

easy to say it goes by
in the blink of an eye
if I close them
it seems much longer

one glance at the stars
a prayer perhaps 
you are looking back at us
eternity collapsed

there you are in the photograph 
great grandchildren laugh