Simple, yet elegant
Names etched in slate grey
A well of emotion opens around me
As I gaze down at a family lost foreverIn life they were so beautiful
Now in death they are dignified
No longer shunned or unclaimed
They become part of us
Part of the human race
AgainNames of adults, children, seniors
Names of those considered good
Names of those considered bad
All find peace and recognition hereSurvivors and family, friends
All come together to celebrate
What was
What was lost
What could have been
Which now lays under four stone tabletsSimple, yet elegant
Soft, yet strong
Old, yet new
All of us whole
Again
(Bonnie Yates is a regular contributor to the jonestown report. Her other writings in this edition are Flying Home and Drawing the Line: The Blame Game. Her previous writings are collected here. She may be reached here.)