Today is Tomb Sweeping Day, a day to mark by remembering ancestors.
People remember the lessons from loved ones who have passed.
Some lessons only make sense when they are meant for you.
🧽🔥🍊
Dusting the gravestone
Wiping sweat, dripping off cheek
As incense burns.
Cleaning, tidying.
Cleaning, tidying.
Glancing at the digital clock -
On his mobile phone.
🧽🔥🍊
Dusting, sweeping.
Dusting, sweeping.
Arranging offerings with no glance.
Lights incense -
Without seeing
Father's name.
🧽🔥🍊
Tidying, moving. Tidying, moving.
The next gravestone.
"Whose is it'
Mom answers -
Meant for you.
🧽🔥🍊
Tidying.
Dusting.
Tidying.
Dusting.
Cloth wipes. Stone gleams.
Offers.
Himself.
🧽🔥🍊
Original poem by Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin. AI tags are coincidental.
For Mikeyded's April Challenge
About the Creator
Michelle Liew Tsui-Lin
Hi, i am an English Language teacher cum freelance writer with a taste for pets, prose and poetry. When I'm not writing my heart out, I'm playing with my three dogs, Zorra, Cloudy and Snowball.
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Comments (3)
Grief is like a fruit which comes and goes in its season, and we are fortunate if we can honor it by plucking it full and ripe from the tree with reverence for the lessons imparted by the dearly departed. Well-wrought!
We often ignore what matters — until it becomes about us.
This is something that has to be done and thank you for taking part