mortality: the elves, and us

mortality(môrˈtalədē): the elves(elvz), and us

a bittersweet(ˈbidərˌswēt) “gift”

the elves in Tolkien(ˈtōlˌkēn, ˈtäl-)’s Middle Earth
could think of mortality as a gift,
for we humans can appreciate(əˈprēSHēˌāt) moments(ˈmōmənt)
for how very brief(brēf) they are,
our treasured(ˈtreZHər) time able to compete(kəmˈpēt) with our losses(läs,lôs),
imagine Gaia(ˈgīə) and how sad
to watch a beloved(bəˈləv(ə)d) mountain disappear toward(t(ə)ˈwôrd,tôrd) the sea,
all the goodbyes as creatures, as species(ˈspēsēz, ˈspēSHēz), die,

now that I am 71,
the clock ticks(tik) “loss(läs,lôs)” at me more and more,
and I still use a ticking clock,
parents, colleagues, friends pass away into the mists(mist),
what particularly(pə(r)ˈtikyələrlē) wrenches(renCH) me
is when I survive(sərˈvīv) the students I’ve taught,

it’s sad enough when a long full life ends,
it’s tragic(ˈtrajik) when a bud(bəd) is blighted(blīt),
when the possibility that should flower(ˈflou(-ə)r) dies before its time,
as if a story stops before any resolution(ˌrezəˈlo͞oSHən),
but an abrupt(əˈbrəpt) “The End,” the final pages blank(blaNGk),

this week Facebook released(rəˈlēs) to me
the names of too many former students
who no longer walk the Earth, breathe(brēT͟H) the air,
connect, build, love,
I feel a need for some closure(ˈklōZHər) to deal with it all,
their closure came too soon, too abrupt,
it just feels wrong,

let us honor(ˈänər) those no longer with us,
let us connect, build, love,
for them,
for us.

by Henry H. Walker

https://henryspoetry.blogspot.com/2019/06/mortality-elves-and-us.html