The graves of the long forgotten
by @JackNWPoet
I go to graveyards whenever I can
Not to mourn the death of those I've known and loved
for they are buried far away
No; I go so that I may remember
Remember those who have gone before
Remember that life is fleeting
Remember that someday I will join those buried.
I ignore the big graves; the showy, fancy ones
I ignore the ones with flowers and trinkets as well
they do not need visitors
they already have all they need and want.
I visit the graves that are small and simple
the ones with faded words, overgrown with moss
These are the ones that have been forgotten,
these are the graves of the average man, woman, and child
The ones who led average lives, like you or me
the ones you would see on the bus, in the park, on the street.
These graves are those of the working man
the shop keeper, the pastor, the laborer
the ones that affect our everyday lives and leave the most impact.
I visit these tombstones because no one else seems to ever come
I try to decipher the name and dates on the faded headstones,
But often cannot
The moss of time has grown over them,
The letters have been worn away.
Maybe if someone came regularly to visit, to sit, to think,
The moss would not cover
The wind would not wear away
Time would not destroy
So I visit, hoping I can make a difference
Hoping I can help preserve
The graves of the long forgotten.