i was 7 when i learned
what a cemetery was
we were walking through
the number of headstones
with names and dates
written upon them

i asked my father
what this place was
he grabbed my hand
that felt so small in his
he looked down at me with his hazel eyes
and said
it's where people go
when their time with us is up

i looked around
at the dozens of stones
and asked
how many are there?
he said
i haven't counted
so i said
that
someone should