Brendan Walsh

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for the dying and the dead

i could not plant a tree for you
or scratch your names in sand,
or even write a poem, arguably
the easiest thing in the world to do.

i was too busy rising early for work,
taking out the trash, washing dishes.
i was too worried about mortgages,
HOA fees, and how we will afford
another month here.

I could scarcely think of your leaving,
your suffering, your cessation
from the worries that cripple me.
I was too busy to realize how beautiful
this bright morning is, and how much
you'd probably love to share it.

Brendan Walsh has lived and taught in South Korea, Laos, and South Florida. His work has appeared in Rattle, Maine Review, The American Journal of Poetry, and other journals. He is the author of six collections of poetry, including 'concussion fragment', winner of the 2022 Florida Book Award Gold Medal. He is co-host of the Fat Guy, Jacked Guy podcast with Stef Rubino, and you can find him online at brendanwalshpoetry.com.