Funeral Music

Four muted trumpet notes, the sound
of darkness. Out of shadows come
the booted feet, the banners and the drum
driving them to the graveʼs edge.

Black clad choirboys give a voice to pain.

Torchlight can touch a cheek, trace
fear and pity in a public face,
but echoes fade to silence, and the night
takes mourners and the mourned
in its embrace.