The Journey Inward

I sit here and ponder,
This likeness of me,
Which you chose to cast in stone,
This pose, this expression,
This calm aesthetic.

Does it please you to remember
My gentler ways,
My pensiveness, my industriousness,
My sweet and my calm?

You and I both know,
The fire that was within me,
The curiosity that set me wandering,
The indignation that made me restless,
Unable to hold my tongue.
Outspoken, obstinate, combative.

Sometimes it seemed
I was born in the wrong era,
For my opinions did not match,
The submission required of me.

But after all these years,
In this gorgeous place of rest,
Amongst massive moss covered trees standing watch,
Beside winsome waves lapping at the shore,
I am whole,
All my parts united,
And understanding that this is for you-
This likeness-
It's how you want to remember me.

I am at peace.

Perhaps this statue reflects me after all.
Perhaps you knew me after all.

Photo: Bonaventure Cemetery, Savannah, GA. 12.12.23 by JMR