To Live in Different Lanes
This morning, as I pulled into the driveway, we spotted a friend.
The woman had finished talking to her daughter down the narrow lane, and was heading off to work.
Her daughter resides not too far from the entrance, about fourteen spaces.
Next to her are mainly the elderly, with the exception of two boys a few spaces down, a five year old and his two year old brother;
just across from them is my own father.
He can be found in the third space up and across.
Just like the woman I have school.
I say a brief hello to my father before blowing him and his parents a kiss and heading to school.
Right on time too!
The Priest pulls up outside the driveway, there’s a wedding today he must prepare for.
Before he unlocks the doors to the church he takes a look at the uninvited but welcome guests.
Departed but present.
He looks at the woman’s daughter—
who was taken by the words of blue light.
He looks at the boys.
A five year old saviour, grasping his brother’s stubby hand
as they are consumed into the tank.
Finally, he nods silently at my father
Who was taken too early
The love in his heart uncontainable from the world
by Antonia Ly Pierce