Gravestrip in Sichuan Province,
West China
Along the edges of the fields the gravestrips,
with their headstones marking final destination,
journey's end. And from this speeding train
each strip appears a moment only, then
is whipped away– apt metaphor for life,
for these straw-hatted men and women bending
to the clay. Remember Kavanagh,
who couldn't think his mother buried in that
Monaghan graveyard but was always with him
walking along a headland of green oats
in June? These workers toil beside their elders
always with them too, reminding them
that the earth is God, or near as makes no difference,
and each of us allowed a moment only,
one quick glimpse before we're sped away.
by Eamon Lynskey
from Crannóg 20 spring 2009,
Crannóg Media