she's gone

ON THE BEACH
for Mother

by Stephen J. Kudless

It was a shark, her disease.

It took her in many bites;

At first, in tiny nibbles -
bit
by

bit

Leaving scars and hope.

Then, the shark, roused by her blood

Became frenzied and cried out,

In the crimson water,

And was gone.

Now the sea is quiet, even peaceful and blue.

The gulls wheel overhead

And the tiny crabs fiddle in the ebb tide.

They are oblivious to what I know.

Children make castles in the sand.

And parents make plans for dinner.

I see it, circling,

Its fin just creasing the surface

Out in the distance,

Just beyond the lifeguards' sight

This shark, fed on motherflesh,

And still hungry.

I fear the water.

Dawn says: I thought she would go away for awhile and then I thought she would come back.  A dream, a breeze, a ghost in my closet, under my bed, an image in the clouds, on the street, a tap on my shoulder, a scent of lavender lingering in the hallway, something, something but she did not.  She left and she has not come back. There is no indication that she continues forever.  She is gone and those of you who possess a religion and think there is something more make me uncomfortable  for all your wasted energy.