Steve Smart

Honouring the Ancient Dead

Breathing in. Marking time. We meet.
Known in little signs or lilting dances.
As one hand moulded to another.
Work breaking into beaded sweat.
Salt licked bitter sweet sudden laughter.

Marking time. Breathing out. We part.
Sound these ancient modern moments,
Familiar and stranger in common time.
Present tense and past imperfect,
As music sung outlasts the singer.

Steve Smart