Blodgett, E. D.: Cemeteries

the cemeteries are
all asleep beneath
the shade of ancient trees

only the birds among
their leaves appear awake
and women scattered here

and there among the tombs
flowers here are not
as flowers that are seen

growing along the roads
these are flowers that
appear to nod among

themselves passing such
secrets that only flowers have
of what is theirs beneath

the ground of who they are
entwined among the dead
for those bending near

the perfume they give off
is how time might smell
if time rose with the sun