Mourning Glory

Poem by Jeral Williams

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Cancer, a tasteless hyena, rips prey,
engorges what lions leave
before vultures pick clean
dreams of the dead.

A lifeless moon rises between clouds parting,
silhouettes dance on Mom’s grave
and nearby church steeples.

In darkness, Dad’s wounded prayer connects
grief buried deep in permanently carved pits
filled with love.

Exchanged smiles signal
the legacy her warmth bestowed
in triumphant dance, sincere songs and a fiery heart.
Springing through darkness,
honor blooms, gilded by hope.

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Jeral Williams is a retired professor of psychology and fourth-quarter poet. His first book of poetry, Sunset Without Dawn (Negative Capability Press, 2022), was inspired by the tragic loss of a daughter. A cancer and stroke survivor, he enjoys writing each day despite the problems of being a one-handed typist.