Kaddish
And Joseph’s hand shall close your eyes.
There,
beyond the brink
and generations
are the dead houses
filled with eyes
closed by the hands of sons first borne
into the written wonder of the light
who know they will be mourned
and memory read in them.
So
gently between the fingers
and with the honour
of a final touch
puts dust upon his father’s final flesh
and close his eyelids to the world
and grant his birthright.
That is the thanks for this one kindness,
for we might do the dead some favours
who have retired into Gehenna
leaving that son to loose his words
in prayer
to save.
David Pollard has been furniture salesman, accountant, TEFL teacher and university lecturer. He has published books on Keats and Nietzsche as well as 5 books of poetry. He divides his time between Brighton on the South coast of England and a village on the Rias of Galicia. Further information can be found at davidpollard.net