Yahrzeit, fragment by John Copley Alter
John Alter on several pressing subjects wrapped within a personal narrative
September now is burdened with yahrzeit.
My grandmother
turns well into her third century.
My childhood
friend turns seventy-four. Our war
against Islam
turns nineteen. And you, my brother,
has it been three years
since you held in your strong hands
a cricket
bat? Indifferent to history
the season
turns, but the football
pitch is silent. Autumn
leaves will fall on empty stadiums.
History harvests aristocracies.
Who speaks Latin
anymore? Time
passes.
About The Author
