Today, at the cemetery,

all the death people smiled at me

from their pictures.

So I smiled back.

The living ones seemed to not notice

our little exchange of smiles.

So, strangely, I realized

with a burst of laughter,

-nervous laughter-

that, although we’re living beings,

somehow we died inside.

There are ages! since anyone

smiled at me so beautifully

so openly, honest and genuine

as they do here

in the underworld.

And it’s so easy to get lost

in their peaceful paths

in the world below…

I may decide not to come back,

ever, and write my poetry from here.

They may not like my silly verses

but I know they’ll smile

from all the pictures

in the cemetery.