August 29, 2009

Kennedy died Tuesday night.
          Newspapers, radio filled with the news,
A motorcade bringing the body from Hyannis
          To Boston this afternoon,
"Leaving his Cape Cod compound,
           For the last time..."

This vivid day, too real, 
           The too-bright sky filled with wisps 
Of cirrus clouds and cool sunlight,
            Strange to feel such 
Overpowering despondence,
           Anxious, jarring, awry.

Waves roll to shore, running down the sand,
           Two children launch a striped kite
With a long tail, blue, orange, and yellow,
           North Hampton beach is covered
With rotting kelp left by a passing storm,
           It's a great day
                      For a funeral.