Poetry Explorer


Classic and Contemporary Poetry


ATONEMENT by LEAH SHERMAN

First Line: WORDS GO UNHEEDED ON THE ACRE'S HILL
Last Line: PUSH BACK THE PAST, AND SHARE AN AUTUMN HILL!

Words go unheeded on the acre's hill;
Gray stones inscribed to mark a resting place;
As though they cared! The workers who are still
With folded hands and smile upon cold face,
You might have pleased them with a kindly word
Or small remembrance on a special day;
But now, no word of yours is faintly heard,
No eyelash turned because of what you say.

Go plant your stones! If that will ease your pain;
Take costly flowers to the ones who died;
Plant shrubs and trees to shelter them from rain
And scatter gold along the country side.
But if you have a loved one, living still --
Push back the past, and share an autumn hill!



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