Poetry from “The Light We Cannot See” by Anne Casey : Portrait of a funeral arrangement (for Denise)

Portrait of a funeral arrangement

for Denise

Dark stars pierce the luminous heart
a shrouded mouth fallen open, 
a delicate central cross.

         Daubs of captured sunlight
         loll among the upright
         congregated throng.

Burdened others cast out
and down; a huddled cluster
bows off to one side.

       Each with green wings
       flung upwards-as if
       in silent supplication.

Swanlike, cheek to cheek,
a pair intertwine at the neck -
tied for the span of their brief life.
     
       Your spray of luminous hearted kindness
        to pierce the dark star
        of our grief.


Poem from the book "the light we cannot see" by Anne Casey 
from Salmon Poetry 40 


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