peace under the stones – v4

under their names

the dates of their lives

the markers in the ground

the memory of them

is there peace under the stones

when they laid their bodies down

when their struggles of life are over

for all of them now

====

edited September 9, 2015

peace under the stones – v4

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/09/peace-under-stones-v4.html

(editing first version)

October 8, 2012

Is there peace under the stones

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/10/is-there-peace-under-stones.html

October 8, 2012

peace under the stones – v3

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/10/peace-under-stones-v3.html

October 8, 2012

peace under the stones – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/10/peace-under-stones-v2.html

October 8, 2012

peace under the stones

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/10/peace-under-stones.html

&

edited April 25, 2015

Home Again – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/home-again-v2.html

edited April 25, 2015

Ashes – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/ashes-v2.html

edited April 25, 2015

Home Again – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/home-again-v2.html

edited April 23, 2015

Your final resting place – v2

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2015/04/your-final-resting-place-v2.html

Edited October 2, 2012

“Your final resting place”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2012/10/your-final-resting-place.html

inspired by readings at Poets’ Corner

monthly poetry reading,

at the Suncook Senior Center

October 1, 2012

& earlier poem

May 31, 2008

“Where Your Ashes Lay”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2008/05/where-you-ashes-lay.html

&

new poem February 11, 2014

Where you are scattered

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2014/02/where-you-are-scattered.html

March 2, 2001

“Ashes”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/ashes.html  

March 2, 2001

“Home Again”

http://raymondafoss.blogspot.com/2004/02/home-again.html

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 39,190+ of my poems at www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

Is there peace under the stones

we casually wish peace
we say rest in peace
when someone dies
we speak of passing away
of going to the other side
of ascending to heaven
our hope inside

is there peace under the stones
the words we say a prayer
yet if we believe
they are not there
they have ascended on eagle’s wings
sitting in mansions in the sky


====
October 8, 2012
inspired by readings at Poets’ Corner
monthly poetry reading,
at the Suncook Senior Center
October 1, 2012


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 20,400+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

peace under the stones – v3

under their names
the dates of their lives
the markers in the ground
is there peace under the stones
when they laid their bodies down
is there peace, or something else,
is there life remaining
when the bodies are laid down
in the giving ground
under their markers


====
October 8, 2012
inspired by readings at Poets’ Corner
monthly poetry reading,
at the Suncook Senior Center
October 1, 2012


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 20,400+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

peace under the stones – v2

under their names
the dates of their lives
the markers in the ground
is there peace under the stones
when they laid their bodies down
is there peace, or oblivion,
is there life remaining
when the bodies are laid down
in the cold wet ground
under the slate or marble


====
October 8, 2012
inspired by readings at Poets’ Corner
monthly poetry reading,
at the Suncook Senior Center
October 1, 2012


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 20,400+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

peace under the stones

under their names
the dates of their lives
the markers in the ground
is there peace under the stones
when they laid their bodies down


====
October 8, 2012
inspired by readings at Poets’ Corner
monthly poetry reading,
at the Suncook Senior Center
October 1, 2012


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 20,400+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live.

The Words Obscured

the names, their history
the words obscured
fungus, age, weather
in the church yard
ancient text hidden
of lives that were lived
forgotten, enduring
the stones all there is



June 14, 2012
gravestones in Portsmouth, NH
Candia, NH
and on Martha’s Vineyard, MA


All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage.
See all 18,720+ of my poems at Poetry Where You Live.

The Cold Stones

The cold stones
warmed by the sun
the lichen and moss
calling me to touch
the masks of death
the weeping willows,
the words of the faithful
written into the stones

Entering the grounds
hallowed by the centuries
the lives of so many
cataloged, laid down
the markers of the people
long dead and buried
but calling to us
to walk righteously


2/9/2010
gravestones in Portsmouth, NH
and on Martha’s Vineyard, MA


Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Contact me at Ray Foss
for usage.

The Face of Death

The mask, the image
the face of death before me
etched into the stone
preserved for a time
the name of the faithful
buried beneath them
row after row
of the dead below ground


2/9/2010
gravestones in Portsmouth, NH
and on Martha’s Vineyard, MA


Copyright by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
Contact me at Ray Foss
for usage.

A Working Pier

a dock, a working pier
out into the estuary
the pull of the tides, swaying seaweed
barnacles, algae, the smell of rot
oil, diesel, rope, netting
lobster traps shining in the filtered sun,
boards of the dock, stories they could tell
a cloud of gulls, lapping the boats
heading out for game
out on the Bay,
the lee of the Shoals
even to the Grand Banks
a working pier, bearing witness
the steel of the fishermen
who have labored here

written December 27, 2008
titled 12/12/07