Not the tolling—For Corrie


 It seems like such a short time since I wrote this poem, but it was three years ago that a fellow storyteller named Corrie lost a grandson. He died quite suddenly as a young boy.

 Moved by her loss and on praying for her, I wrote this poem and gave her a copy. It's since been published by Tower Poetry Society* in 2016.
 
I'll let your imagination offer up the right picture.





Not the tolling

“not the tolling of bells
but the silence after”—Kathleen Norris


Not the tolling of bells
or the parade of people
come to see you

acknowledging your pain
that some understand
and others simply want to comfort

Not the tolling of church bells you’d expect
or the filled pews    but the silence when
everyone leaves you   alone

to confront the empty chair at breakfast
and everywhere in the house
where silence sits

no shoes kicked off at the front door
to snatch a still warm cookie
then running off to play outdoors

Not the tolling of church bells
or even the filled pews
but the silence that surrounds you

There are no words 
for that kind of silence


*Summer 2016 Volume 65 No. 1 edition.





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