this song reminds me of 
you 
 
a bit country 
a bit somber 
but content 
content 
content to sit with  
the somber bits 
and the beautiful ones 
in equal measure 
 
like i am now 
silent in the yard 
bearing witness to my trees 
 
like you used to 
silent with coffee in hand 
on the front steps 
while everyone  
slept 
 
didn't make sense to me  
then  
but it does now 
 
(can't help but be cut from the same cloth) 
 
i think about how today would be the  
perfect day  
to sit and have the beer we never got around to 
 
we'd drink  
we'd smile  
in quiet pleasure  
feeling the warm presence 
of the loving souls we'd both  
become  
 
i think about how 
this experience won't happen 
(should've) 
but i'm tasked with it now 
to bring that sacrament about  
somehow  
 
(do this in remembrance of me) 
 
i think about that moment 
when i first heard this 
song  
 
in front of the tracks 
waiting for it all to pass 
your flowers drying in 
the sun 
 
the ironic way 
(fierce and persistent) 
tennessee spring pushes on 
life, beauty, growth -- prevail 
when the ground was freshly closing 
around you 
 
still warm  
still warm 
 
it just goes on 
 
(whether you want it to 
or not) 
 
you can sit 
-- annoyed -- 
waiting for the train  
to pass 
 
or you can go with it 
admire the face of 
each car as it sees you 
and goes on 
 
you can sit in the waiting 
and feel the 
radiant heat on  
your skin 
the radiant heat 
of the person next to you 
and understand that  
fundamentally  
this very waiting 
was intended to know you 
 
tragedy in springtime 
 
a purple iris unfurling 
is a sickly omen 
to me now 
 
but a red bird 
in my path  
is now 
delight 
connectedness 
 
feeling is no longer 
reserved for the  
"right time" 
 
for appropriate 
degrees of 
disaster 
 
it just is 
 
feeling freely is 
the gift 
of this mess 
 
i can feel the radiant heat 
the breeze 
the tears 
the longing 
the peace 
 
and be content and 
know  
that is just the  
absurd rhythm  
of being here 
among the living  
 
it just goes on...