sweet the bough breaks
as innocence falls
as stillness asleep on the snow
cradled in arms
of once half asleep
and rocked as a baby
the whole world to know

the road back
the way come –
and who are we now
where is the place
we’ve come to endear
when darkness tugs hard
at the shadows of life
and all we have left
is the weight
of our tears

forgiven the promise
to never let go
to choose without choosing
our truth to profess
but once in the deep
a pounding so close
and moments no longer
with worth
to confess

of innocence lost
by the side of the bed
nightmares recover the worst
slept not in places
turned us away –
a smile in the mirror
for ignorance cursed

so heavy the burden
of taking no side
never noticed the faraway spark
eyes grown accustomed
to living a lie –
were changing our view
of the dark

til there in the quiet
a thought not erased
by signs of forgiveness –
the existence
of grace –
a well-worn transgression –
that nobody knows
when fell from the cedars
as a name
to the snow

In softest memorial ~
Kimberly Ripmaster