The rain tapping on our van
The cat strolling down the laminate
The ice veneer on limbs cracking in the wind
The dot dashing of chalk on a board
The train howling over there somewhere
Robins talk in the maple
A line of geese returning on the distance
Whispers through the pines at attention
Snow crunches its spirits up like fog
The train wails in mourning as time passes
The furnace starts breathing again
A child turns over in bed
The garbage can flips its lid
Wheels on asphalt roll their sound
The train waits at the station
with nothing to say
but hums
as it is loading
memory
It will teach my children
to listen more attentively
when I am gone they
will recognize
the important
memorial calls
