In The Early Hours a Youth was Killed

Newsreader (in news-reading voice) –

‘In the early hours of this morning
a youth was killed
when the car he was driving
left the road
overturned
and hit a tree
He was Ray Arthur …… of Fell Stroke Creek’

Had you any premonition Ray
an hour before
in the protecting presence of your unsuspecting friends
or did that hand of fate sneak up on you
as furtive as a thief

We gather now
Umbrellas as a sea
on lowered heads hidden

A soft rain settles
on the heavy heads
unsheltered heads
of your two brothers
like drops of dew on wilting roses
Wilting is the brother who does not cry
his tears are frozen
won’t escape
and won’t release him from the callous grip of grief

Your weeping brother tries in vain
to warm your mother’s trembling form
but he is in a nightmare
and nightmares are cold
It was all he had to offer
but death has taken more than life this day

Do you rest in peace now Ray
Do you see us gathered here
like vulnerable refugees
from OUR inevitable fate
Do you yearn to send a sign
to tell us that the exodus was blissful
and the livin’ now is easy

The words are done
Backs are turned
away from you
But can you see your mother lingering
clinging to the final thread of what she had of you
See how memories wrack her broken heart
And see now how your father tries to lead her
from the cruel cavity
And see how she resists

But now your father’s hand that combed your hair
is laid in comfort giving
comfort seeking
on her frail arm
persuades her to submit

Farewells are whispered
We huddled mourners move as one

Goodbye dear friend

Our community lost one of its own. Too young. A community mourns. What seems unfathomable is that three years later, the ‘wilting brother who could not cry’ and the father who laid his hand ‘in comfort-giving, comfort-seeking’ were also taken – in another road accident. They were on holiday and went up the street to get milk. A car ran a red light and killed them instantly. The surviving two of the family went on to lead lives of service to their communities with loving hearts. I can’t imagine how I would cope.

We see and hear of these tragedies all too often but on the flip side is something like I saw the other day on my way to the aquatic centre for my morning swim. The soft autumn morning had our valley dressed in cheerful attire – a little dampness about after the summer dryness. Coming towards me this little group. Even from a distance I could tell there was something unique. A grandmother (as I approached I guessed of European stamp – Italian perhaps) and two youngsters. Rarely have I seen such joy as that on their faces. Nonna with a hand-held grandchild on each side, arms a-swinging, on their way to school. I make up my own little stories about pictures like this. She had come from overseas to visit her family whom she hadn’t seen for years. Never met her grandchildren till now, and so all three were in a capsule of bliss. The few brief moments I had in which to catch this vitality, this joy in being a family together stayed with me for days.

I am looking forward to being with my own beautiful family over Easter. We historically do something wonderful together. I will tell you about that next time.

Keep close.

Warmly,

Sue

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