gray clouds
drifting past
tombstones
sing an ancient song,
and she stands
by the gate in her black gown
tattered like the pages
of an old book
beyond repair;
her long raven hair dances
in the wind wild and untamed
as the spirits whose bones are
eager to dance above the earth
once more—
she is death
guarding the hauntings,
but they cannot see her;
all these mischief makers or mourners
walk as if she does not stand here
silver scythe whispering secrets
none of them can hope to hear until
she swings the killing blow—
her black mournful eyes show not
a dram of emotion
empty as the bodies that lack life,
and she knows not anything else
her purpose is to guard this gate.
Linda M. Crate's works have been published in numerous magazines and anthologies both online and in print. She is the author of five published chapbooks, a micro-chap, and a forthcoming poetry collection entitled More Than Bone Music (Clare Songsbirds Publishing House). She also has a novel, called Phoenix Tears.